Look Out Disneyland Here We Come 7B

The First Thing to Do

My son's first thought when you mention Disneyland.

Proper planning prevents poor performance they say.  Part of the fun in going to Disneyland is the planning. You go on the website and figure out your plan of attack.  Which of the parks to visit first?  Attractions fly in and out of your head. You find yourself playing the game I Got My Place.  Seasoned veterans that my kids are, having gone to Disneyland since eighteen months and every year after, They knew every nook and corner. They have remembered every change since 1998 positively.  I Got My Place is a game we as a family played when we were out to dinner or driving in the car. One person would announce they have their place and the rest of us took turns in sequence trying to guess.  The place had to be in four categories: attractions, entertainment, dining, and sights (statues, fountains, and golden spikes).  Your place could be in Disneyland, Disney California Adventure, Downtown Disney, or the Disney Resort Hotels.  It is only natural that when planning a trip I Got My Place would be the game to play to attaining what everyone wants to do first.

Dad is your place in Disneyland?  Yes. Is it Jungle Cruse?  Oh, you guessed it. You always start with Jungle Cruise, Dad.

Welcome aboard! 

You would think since Jungle Cruise was an original 1955 ride, it would remain old and mundane. Not so because Walt Disney knew that changes had to be made to keep guest coming back. He called it "plussing".  This attraction has had many changes except some of the jokes. Many captains have their own style and jokes for some of the features of the ride. However some are still the same for years and if they were changed or experimented with we guests would feel cheated. One would be "this is the famous Schweitzer Falls. Named for that famous African explorer, Albert Falls."  Then as you progress and come to the fall again they still use as does a least 90% of the boat, "Look to your left and you'll see the backside of water."  Finally there is the famous "Trader Sam, he's the head salesman here in the jungle.  He is having a sale, two of his heads for one of yours."

One simple ride, with lots to see.

Son? Son? You playing?
"Ok, my turn I got my place. Is it in Disneyland? Yes. Is it a ride? Yes.  Is it in New Orleans Square? No.  Is it in Tomorrowland? Yes. Is it Buzzlightyear's Astroblasters.  Yeah.

Emperor Zurg - You're Toast!

As a family we love this attraction.  The first time we rode it, we said that all new attractions should be interactive.  With video action games now firmly part of our children's world, this type of attraction places them into the action.  Honestly, adults enjoy the action the Astro Blasters gives.  It is a perfect Disney experience where the adults enjoy the attraction with their children.  Other newer "Dark Rides" like Winnie the Pooh, Little Mermaid, and sadly Monsters Inc., the adult can just "ride along,"  But other than knowing your child is happily in awe, the experience is not as enjoyable for mom and dad.  The storyline of helping Buzz Lightyear try to stop the evil Emperor Zurg is so exciting for the kids and interactive for the parents.  Plus there is the friendly competition to gain the higher score.  

Mom says the points aren't that imortant. Yeah but look at her score and you'll know why.

When your waiting in the queue, look at the map on the wall.  One of the planets has a continent that is a hidden Mickey.

Mickey, you are truly everywhere even out of this world.

Ok honey your turn.  Is it in Disneyland? No. Is it in Disney's California Adventure? Yes.  Do you get wet? NOOooo!  Is it on Paradise Pier?  Yes.  Is it Toy Story Midway Mania? Yes. 
This is another one of those attractions that allow the guests to be a participant in the action and storyline.  We have all lost our corndog money at a fair or a bazaar trying to win a midway game.  Here we get to immerse ourselves in the world of sentient toys playing games like breaking plates with balls and popping balloons with darts and ring toss.  Plus it is done in 3-D as you are transported from game to game.  

I've done my hand exercises and now I'm ready you hockey puck.

I got my place! Yeah, yeah, we should of let you go first.  You want a churro.  Dad, I thought we were doing rides.  We are, is it in DCA? Yes. Is it a ride you've ridden on? Yes.  Well, that leaves out Cars Land.  Is it Grizzly? Yes.

It's perfect for a hot day and on a cold night.

For the longest time the only ones who took a chance on this attraction were my son and I.  We rode it day and night hot or cold.  We have been splashed, swamped, and drowned by the geyser. We once rode it one night late and there was no waiting line.  We disembarked and then were allowed to re board.  We rode it eight straight times.  When we were done, we were soaked head to foot.  We rejoined my wife and daughter, who had walked to get a churro, showing them how soaked we were.  I walked over to the fencing on the other side of the trail took off my shoe and dumped the water.  It was late so we walked to the Grand Californian Hotel entrance and headed up to our room.  

The bumps, twists, turns, and of course the drenching.  Bring on the fun.

We finally got to get the girls to ride on it with us.  My wife was going to buy a poncho.  I said son, "What do we call people who wear Ponchos."  He answered, " Weak sucks."  My wife was concerned about only one thing.  She did not want to ride down backwards.  We came to the first drop and she was facing forward.  Anyone who knows the ride knows it spins before the drop.  I don't think she ever has gone down forward in the many times we have ridden it this ride.

  

The next blog post will be from the Disneyland Resort.  We will be looking for another fun family time.  With the kids getting older it will be a different adventure.  We will no longer have to set the agenda.  But there is a plus in that.  We spent many times at Disneyland before they were born.  I'm sure we'll remember what to do.  Peace to you all and see you at the parks.  

Look Out Disneyland Here We Come Seven

I am excited to say those magic words, "I'm going to Disneyland."  No, I didn't win the Super Bowl, but I am traveling to Disneyland again.   We were last there for the first event of its kind, 'The One More Disney Day'.  This happened on Leap Day, February 29th, 2012.  

My daughter's favorite day!

Congrats to my twins!

Other than the cold after midnight, the crowds, and long wait for the attractions because no Fast Passes, the entire day was pure Disney Magic.  Upon reflection, blogging about Disneyland and Disney collectibles has the biggest enjoyment for me.  Oddly,  Disneyland holds an important place in my and my family's lives.  Well guess what, we are preparing another trip.  The last time, I found the preparation was also fun to blog about.   Well, this trip has been planned since that last trip.  There were reasons for the delay between this up-coming trip.    

First, my twins graduated from high school in 2012.  Grad Night at Disneyland is a exciting time for a graduating teenager.  For my twins there were several extra special reasons that this trip to Disneyland was rewarding.  They got to go to Disneyland alone, without parental units, and they got to show their friends the park.  How did it delay a family trip to the Magic Kingdom?  
A.) Parents knew their children needed to spread their wings. 
B.) Graduation is an important right of passage
C.) The cost of two trips and all the cost associated with being a senior.
D.) All of the above.
Yes, any money that might have been allotted for a trip to Disneyland was spent.  

We all sat down as a family and discussed when we would we all be able to go back.  The summer of 2013 was agreed upon.  Now you think that would be easy, not.  We were now four individuals.  My son went to summer session at college. My daughter moved out of her dorm and got an apartment.  Luckily and happily, I retired so my calender was completely open.  

One of the best places to stay.

So with all the possible dates we knew it had to be the end of July.  Does anyone have August 2nd on your calender I asked?  A chorus of No's followed.  "No one?" I asked.  It's our anniversary.  Won't it be a great to be there.  So that was a pivotal date.  Imagine four people each with their computer looking up what they want to do.  My wife said, "I'd like to stay at the Grand Californian."  We have stayed there several times.  The kids said, "No, we want to stay at the Disneyland Hotel because we haven't been to the new pools."

The new pool, splash time soon.

My new camera will capture the kids on the new slides.

We discussed and it was settled,  Disneyland Hotel was going to be location of our stay.  Excitement was now set free.  Disney web site was flooded with requests just from our home.  We checked the new Early Entry benefit for hotel guests. Types of rooms were investigated.  Services were thoroughly checked on.  "Hey, Honey I said they say they have cabanas that can be rented by the pool."  "They have WiFi, flat screen TVs, refrigerator, and dedicated server." "We would not have to fight for an umbrella."  

She excitedly said, "It would be so great to spend our anniversary lounging by the pool."  It was settled, we would go over to DCA and Cars Land for Early Entry then my wife and I would return to the cabana and the kids could join us later.  We'll let you know what this experience was like.

Transformation by going back in time.

When we were last there, California Adventure was a maze.  Construction walls were everywhere.  This caused miles of walking to get from one place to another.  The new Buena Vista Street was all blocked off.  The top of the building that is the Carthy Theater protrudes above the scaffolding behind the new entrance.  Cars Land was not open so we knew we had to come back to see what they did to retheme the old California Adventure that opened in February 2001.  

Look at that! Look at that! Look at that Cadillac.

Beyond the ocean's pier rose and island, a new land.

The planning is done. The date is drawing closer.  I bought a new camera to take pictures to post and share.  In 2001, I bought a MInolta DiMage 7.  It was top of the line then but technology changes fast.  Now I have a much better camera.  I have gone to Disneyland yearly since 1955.  I have seen so many improvements and changes.  I was going to share my photos and experiences on MouseWait.  However, sometimes inexperience can lead an individual astray.  So those of you that follow me or this blog will need to monitor this site for updates.

We are getting everything we need: Bags, hats, fanny packs, and everything that we nee to make our successful.  All of our items are a Disney Product, we love Disney so much we take them everywhere. The next blog post will show those Disney items that are coming with us to the Disneyland Hotel and the Magic Kingdom.  See you there friends and acquaintances.

Previous Links:
Lookout Disneyland Here We Come Six
http://www.midasgoldstouch.blogspot.com/2012/03/lookout-disneyland-here-we-come-six.html

Lookout Disneyland Here We Are
http://www.midasgoldstouch.blogspot.com/2012/03/look-out-disneyland-here-we-are.html

Lookout Disneyland Here We Are! Leahttp://www.midasgoldstouch.blogspot.com/2012/03/look-out-disneyland-here-we-are-leap.htmlp Day.


This in Education Senior Trip
http://www.midasgoldstouch.blogspot.com/2012/05/this-week-in-education-senior-trip.html

Look Out Disney We Have Pins 1986- 1995

The Biggest Magical Milestones

Who knew this case hold memories.

Anytime you take a trip down memory lane, you meet those moments where the Universe pays you a dividend.  While going through the Disney Magical Milestones from 1986 to 1995, it flashed that the year 1994 was the most important in my wife's and my life.  Our life was doing really good in the late 80's.  We were able to get to Disneyland every year.  Many of the Magical Milestones attractions and events, we looked forward to seeing.  It was a special time.  Disneyland was expanding and adding some of the major changes that we think of as Disneyland itself.  Where many of the previous Magical Milestones pins were a major part of my childhood and youth, that old 50th anniversary case is yielding some treasured moments of my adult life.  The Magical Milestones pins from 1955 to 1965 were my finest childhood memories not only of Disneyland but in my life.  The Magical Milestones pins from 1966 to 1975 were also my first steps into adulthood.  Expanding on those happiest moments and finding a someone to share them with was a major joy in the Magical Milestones pins from 1976 to 1985.  That someone is my wife.  My wife is a Disney girl.  Her uncle worked as a film editor for the Walt Disney Studios.  Growing up in Burbank, she attended Disneyland with her cousins many time.  She knew all the Disney films.  We were a perfect Disney match. 

The Magical Milestones pin for 1986 is a parade, the Totally Minnie Parade.  Disney has so many different parades.  Parades on a yearly and seasonal basis always changed to give the guests a different reason to visit the Magic Kingdom.  Depending on the time of year the parades vary in length.  I saw parades in the winter when the operating hours were shortened that started in Main Street looped around the Hub and returned backstage where it began.  Some parades are grand.  They originate on Main Street and continue all the way through the Magical Kingdom for the daytime show and then reversing the route for the night time performance.  The Minnie parade was a short parade.  It had dancers wearing 1980's styled dance wear, that really cool legging look, you know.  

Worlds longest lasting girlfriend

In 1987 the first attraction that was not a Disney movie opened. It was based on George Lucas's Star Tours.  Star Tours used the motion simulator to combine a movie projected on a screen while the audience was shaken, raised, and dropped in their seats.  I remember explaining it to my brother.  I put him in a chair and thrashed him back and forth and side to side.  I was explaining the attraction so he would consider joining us on a trip.  One of the clever "plussing" things in the rides queue are the announcements,  

"Departing Endor passenger Sacul, Mister Egroeg Sacul 

please see Star Tours agent at gate three".  

Egroeg Sacul is George Lucas spelled backwards.  The surprises are amazing.  Also the G2 Driods that are used as repair droids are the Audio-Animitronic geese from America Sings.  

Now serving more Galactic destinations

The greatest dream of mine once we moved from Southern California was to stay at the Disneyland Hotel.  We were never in a position to afford a stay there.  Finally, a sequence of events occurred that had me staying at the Disneyland Hotel.  It was really by coincidence on a Thanksgiving weekend.  I happened, on the spur of the moment, to drive to Disneyland just for the shrimp at the Carnation Plaza.  The lady I was with and I decided to stay over for the remaining days of the weekend.  By chance we tried the Disneyland Hotel on a lark.  They had a room and we checked in.  It was strange.  Here we were being escorted upstairs by a bell hop with only a Winnie the Pooh bear.  The Disneyland Hotel then was not owned by the Disney people.  It was owned in cooperation of Disney by Jack Wrather family.  In 1988, the Disney Corporation bought the property.  The Disneyland Hotel now was an extension of Disneyland.  The Magical Milestones pin for 1988 commemorates the landmark change.  Disneyland became the Disney Resort.

Wanna go?  We don't even need bags.

Since 1955, Disneyland was defined by the berm.  The raised mound of earth that served as Disneyland's boundary and the road base of the Disneyland Railroad.  Disneyland kept growing and they had to extend beyond the berm.  The first extension is now known as Critter Country.  The Country Bear Jamboree was opened there in 1972.  The area needed another anchor attraction.  That attraction was opened in 1989, Splash Mountain.  Splash Mountain completed the Mountains of Disneyland.  Let's hope there will be more.  Splash Mountain is a log flume ride themed with characters from Song of the South.  Br'er Rabbit, Br'er Fox, and Br'er Bear are involved in many adventures.  Mostly to catch the elusive Br'er Rabbit.  As told by Uncle Remus they are searching for their Laughing Place.  Just before you plunge over the five story drop and splash down, you are serenaded by them singing the song.  Getting wet is part of the charm, and our family has been soaked happily on several occasions.

"Everybody's got a laughing place"

1990 Magical Milestones was another parade to celebrate the 35th Anniversary of Disneyland.  Party Gras consisted of six large balloons of Disney characters.  There was a large Minnie Mouse in a Carmen Miranda styled fruit adorned hat.  Mickey's balloon was dressed as Sorcerer Mickey.  As in Mardi Gras in New Orleans, costumes are very chic.  I even bought a Sorcerer Mickey beach towel.  Of course, Donald Duck was seated on a big ball cruising down the street.  The balloons looked huge because of the smaller scale of the Main Street buildings.  Would Mickey go anywhere without his trusty pal Pluto? No way Pluto was there floating by big as life.  The last of the six was Roger Rabbit.  Who Framed Roger Rabbit was released in 1988.  There were several smaller floats that were from other Disney films.  I was not fortunate to catch any of the traditional Mardi Gras styled beads which were tossed to the crowd along the parade route.  Nor was I able to garner one of the Party Gras coins which were part of the party favors.  These coins were like the Doubloons distributed at Mardi Gras.  

Toss me some beads

Okay, I have had too many afternoons free.  During those misplaced hours, I watched Disney Afternoon.  It was a block of two hours of cartoons especially created for syndication for afternoon viewing and Saturday morning airing on the television channel, ABC.  They had shows that were created just for Disney Afternoon.  Duck Tales, Dark Wing Duck, TaleSpin, and Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers were in integral part of the cartoons.  There were many memorable characters that were included in Disneyland's Afternoon Avenue.  This section was located between Fantasyland and It's a Small World.  Young people were given a map which they were to get stamped.  Don Karnage, the Beagle Boys, Rebecca Cunningham, and my favorite Gadget Hackwrench were in costume among others.  The 1991 Magical Milestones pin remembers this short lived Disneyland area.

Maybe Scrooge McDuck can give me some money.

OMG! Before anyone ever thought of using that acronym, my wife and I both said it about the 1992 Magical Milestones pin's event.  One evening we were walking towards New Orleans Square.  There was a crowd gathered on the edge of the River's of America.  We stopped standing near the back.  A cast member said, "You'll need to move up.  There is a spot right there you can stand."  We asked what was happening.  "It's Fantasmic."  We took the advice and waited.  What we saw was beyond entertaining.  It was a thrilling, emotional, and heartfelt show of good and evil.  Mickey Mouse battles Maleficent in an epic struggle.  Music, laser lights were incorporated bringing Disney movie scenes and villains into Mickey's dream scene.  As an audience member you feel the spray of water that emanated from the river.  That water in the struggle erupts into fire.  You feel the heat drawing you into the show.  It was then that my wife and I turned to each other and said, "Oh my god."  

With Sorcerer Mickey how can Evil win?

Beyond the berm is where we are going again.  After the demise of Disney Afternoon Avenue, the stroll toward It's a Small World was not as thrilling if it weren't for the opening of Toontown.  To get there you travel under the Disneyland Railroad tracks marked by the berm.  Toontown gives you the perspective that you are in the cartoon.  Mickey's House, Minnie's House, and Donald's Boat are all there just like the cartoons.  There are many laughs and gags that you would see in cartoons.  It is a favorite spot for my family. The Magical Milestones pin show the goofy population sign that is located at the outskirts of town.  It contains rotating symbols and character that never really means anything but whimsy.

Meet me at Pluto's Dog House for a real hot dog.

1994 was my wife's and my magical milestone.  It was the year my twins were born.  Disney should have commemorated this event.  That year two incredible Disney fans were brought into the extended family.  Disney had an event of minor importance, The Lion King.  It celebrated the birth of a new king of the beasts.  However, for our family it was a movie that came out in 1992, Aladdin.  In that was a song that became our families theme song.  We sang it to our children.  Not only was it a song and lullaby it was a philosophy that we lived our lives.  We still are, eighteen years later, following the songs meaning.  The song "A Whole New World" still holds a special place for us. 

Simba wasn't the only notable birth that year.

Star Tours was an undeniable success.  It took a non-Disney movie and made it into a phenomenal ride.  Working in collaboration with George Lucas was important in the next attraction.  George Lucas with Steven Spielberg made old time Saturday matinee cliffhanger style movies in the Indiana Jones franchise.  In 1995, the Indiana Jones Adventure opened.  The ride and the queue were thrilling.  As you wind your way through the the Temple of the Forbidden eye, you see excavated artifacts mined from the mysterious temple.  After a Movietone newsreel tells you of the wonders and riches that people have taken from temple, Indy's sidekick Sallah tells you of the Curse of Mara's Eye.  You need to ride the attraction several times because the enhanced motion vehicle can take different routes.  I was shocked once when instead of one of the doorways we went through the wall to the Fountain of Eternal Youth.  

I still carry me Marabic translation card in my wallet.

Now the true adventure begins at this point in 1995.  My wife and I get to fulfill the promise of the song, "A Whole New World".  We would be able to show the real world and the Disney world to our twins. 

"I can show you the world" 

"Take you wonder by wonder"

In the the next ten years of Disney changes, we get to share them all with our family.  I will be able to also share them with you next time.  

          

Look Out Disney We Got Boxed Pin Sets Three

Boxed Pin Sets Are Just For Fun. Playball!

 Some boxed pin sets were not commemorative in their release.  Many were just playfully fun. Take the ones that are sports related.  Many of the Disney characters have been depicted in various sports attire.  My brother has lots of Goofy golfing equipment.  The boxed pin sets focused on the many team sports popular in the United States.
There is no sport bigger than football.  To the World football is what we in the United States call soccer.  While we are making progress in youth soccer and even soccer at college and World Cup Levels, we have very little fan interest in soccer.  To us football is a rough and tumbled game of gaining ground on your opponent.

I like that person in charge of keeping the game played by the rules, referee
Donald Duck, is probably the most volatile tempered character.

My favorite sport is baseball.  It is a game played without a clock.  A game could go on forever.  There is something magical about nine innings and three out per inning.  A team can stay at bat forever if no outs are recorded.  And if there is a tie you play until there is a winner, but everyone gets an equal opportunity to try to break the tie.  What a game.

All baseball umpires are Goofy.

Another major team sport is basketball.  When the Disney characters go out and hit the hardwood, what position do you think they will play.  Who would be the best ball handler?  Who would you put at forward and center? The Disney characters look pretty athletic.  Except maybe Goofy, if you've seen any of his cartoons and even movies, you know he is plagued by unfortunate events. So let's lace them up, take off the sweats, and hit the court.

Check out the bumps on the basketball

It looks like Mickey is a great little point guard.  Look at that ball handling! Donald, let's make him the two guard.  Look at the drive to the hoop and that finger roll.  Goofy, center all the way, he just needs to improve his foot work.  At the strong forward, Daisy Duck, can you she her going up strong for a slam dunk.  That is an ESPN highlight for Sports Center. Coach of the Year drawing out those X's and O's, Minnie Mouse with her leading the team they will be in the finals.
Some of the sports are legendary.  Remember the Mudville Nine?  They had a great slugger, The Mighty Casey.  Every baseball team reaches that moment when you reach your last opportunity to win the game.  That is what make baseball so compelling.  The home team bats last.  The have the chance to win or tie the game.  Teams and fans alike just hope that they can get their best player up at bat in that situation.  This is exactly what occurred to the Mudville Nine in the poem, Casey at the Bat by Ernest Thayer.  The poem has been depicted in movies, on the radio, and on television.  I have even read it to my students.  The Disney Studios made a cartoon of the poem in 1946. It is this version that most of us remember.

The sneer is gone from Casey's lip, his teeth are clenched in hate;

He pounds with cruel violence his bat upon the plate.

And now the pitcher holds the ball, and now he lets it go,

And now the air is shattered by the force of Casey's blow.

Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright;

The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light,

And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout;

But there is no joy in Mudville — mighty Casey has struck out.

Many of us learned the lesson that overconfidence can have tragic results.

We all love sports.  We love playing them and we love watching them.  I have a love, as you probably can tell, for everything Disney.  People often ask me why?  I tell them, "Mickey Mouse is reality and everything else is fantasy.  Seeing my favorite characters involved in sports gives me a connection with them.  Mickey Mouse is always smooth and cool.  Minnie Mouse is intelligent and active many times with her friend Daisy Duck.  Donald gets easily flustered and rages against circumstances beyond his control.  Goofy is adventuresome and does it all.  But he is like most of us he is on the edge of disaster.
Next time we will look at boxed pin sets, we explore sets that deal some of our favorite holidays.  Thank you for sharing your time with me.  If you have pins you would like to see just leave a comment letting me know.  Until then see you at Disneyland.

Look Out Disneyland Here We Come

Daddy I'm Hungry, California Adventure

As the song goes, "You make the change.  You rearrange me till I'm sane." Pink Floyd.

I'll miss the Wave Fountian and California songs the most

Across the way from Disneyland, where we parked when I was a kid is a separate theme park initially named California Adventure.  I wrote about the park in Time Machine Travelogue on March 30th's post.  The new park was not an overwhelming success.  There were some grand ideas.  Soon after they opened things started closing.  Most of them were restaurants. You literally could not walk a hundred yards without finding an eating place.  Restaurants were tucked into every corner.  The first time we went to California Adventure we planned to eat at more economical sites.  Saving our big ticket meals for Downtown Disney.  I'm sure that the reasoning was to give as many guests as possible options.  If you were spending four days at one of the Disney Resort Hotels, you wouldn't eat every meal at California Adventure.  The park also had shorter hours not opening until 10:00 AM and closing at 9:00PM.  So the grab and go was mostly the type of restaurant.  Of the different areas of California Adventure, the Hollywood Studio is a good place to stare.  There was a spot we passed up the first time we went there and that was a mistake because it soon disappeared.  Hollywood and Dine, clever play on words eh. It was themed to be a commissary located on a Hollywood Studio's back lot.  However, it was just a food court.  You travel hundreds of miles and spend hundreds of dollars to eat at food court.  I don't think so.  Like all mall food courts it offered different food choices. They all had clever names though.  There was a burger joint called Wilshire Bowl.  If you want pizza, the Villa Carpi would be there for you.  Hungry for Chinese food?  Then, Don the Beachcombers would be your stop.  If you wanted a $8.00 tuna fish sandwich step up to Schwab's Pharmacy.  You never know you might be discovered by an agent and made a movie star.

A very good dog

Cross pollination corperaton style

We walked away and opted for Award Wieners, a gourmet hot dog stand and the french fries were great.  At the time it had very limited sidewalk seating, but an area that was part of the Muppets 3D attraction's queue was reassigned for table seating. Originally, they had Soap Opera Bistro.  It was like dinner theater with the backdrop of ABC daytime soap operas. Scenes and sets from familiar daytime shows were used by actor/ wait persons serving up food and involving the guests in the drama. Port Charles, All My Children, One Life to Live, and General Hospital were the shows that were used.  It too closed and reassigned as a stage show. Now no food is served there.

Wolfgang where did you go

Many changes have happened in the Paradise Pier region of California Adventure.  The legendary Wolfgang Puck was a Southern California chef.  So with his name recognition a restaurant at California Adventure seemed like a great idea.  They built a lavish interior setting and the food I'm told was phenomenal.  We knew that we were returning with the sponsor, my mother, in December so we would wait.  Bad idea it was doomed to failure.  Most restaurants suffered this fate and soon Wolfgang was gone.  It went through a change and became Ariel's Grotto, a character dining experience.  We have been to this dining spot when my daughter was into Disney Princesses, especially Ariel.  They have a unique menu option.

All the characters are dressed in sailor attire

For a single price you receive a starter, main course, and dessert item, and you have different choices in each category.  You get to mix and match while characters like Mickey, Minnie, and Chip and Dale circulate mingling with guests for photos.  When you arrive, Ariel, seated in a clam shell, is there for personal photos.
At one time, there was an agreement between Disney and The McDonald's Corporation.  You remember all those toys given out in Happy Meals?  There was a couple of McDonald's french fries places in Disneyland.  Burger Invasion was a limited menu McDonald's at the west end of Paradise Pier.  It was closed when the mutual agreement was dissolved in 2007.  However, Paradise Pier was changing.  Pixar was taking over.  One of the best changes was the opening of Toy Story Midway Mania.  To make room for this addition two walk away food service spots needed to be closed.  Malibu-Ritos and Strips Dips "N" Chips were removed.  The chicken strips and fish and chips were moved to Bountiful Valley Farms.  My family enjoy the chicken strips and the fish and chips.

If you're hungry for this go to the Stage Door Cafe in Frontierland

Ooo fried food

Never ate here and now its gone

I wonder what they will replace it with

I always thought they were not from this Earth 

The have reassigned the area where Pizza Oom Mow Mow and Burger Invasion and replaced them with Paradise Garden and Grill and Boardwalk Pizza and Pasta.  I haven't had an opportunity to eat at them when we went to the parks for One More Disney Day on Leap Day this year.  The choice for us on the afternoon and evening we spent at DCA was the newly reopened Corn Dog Castle.  It was a great treat to take the edge off while you're waiting for one of The Wonderful World of Color water and laser show.  And it was fantastic and cold on the February Night.

Pizza pizza everywhere

Couldn't they just put in a different attraction

My wife's sister could believe over $30 for five corn dogs

My wife always takes first bite

 The food court concept did not disappear when Hollywood and Dine closed down.  The Pacific Wharf area was a food court al fresco.  There is no inside dining but there are plenty of outdoor seating.  Also in that area is a beer wagon and a margarita shack.  The margarita place was named Rita's Baja Blenders. The anchor restaurant is the Pacific Wharf Cafe`.  It is reminiscent of the restaurants of Monterey and San Fransisco.  The San Fransisco sour dough bread has been famous for over a 100 years.  The best bakery for it in the City is Boudin Bakery.  Thousands of people have carried home sour dough from Boudins all over the world.  Airports have seen the arrival of loaves of this bread around the United States and many countries of the World.  They, of course, have clam chowder served in a hollowed out bread bowl along with sandwiches and salads.  Also, they serve breakfast and have great breakfast pastries.

Take a couple of loaves back to your room or home

Something strange also occurred in this area.  They stayed with the with the food court concept, however the restaurants switched sides.  They serve food court styled dishes.  Luckily, I live in California and have many locally owned restaurants that serve much better food of these genres.  The Mexican food place is called Cocina Cucamonga Mexican Grill.  I have seen plates ordered by others and the food is appealing looking. I suppose you could grab a margarita or a beer and have a relaxing break.

Try the carne asada and chicken tamale

The other mainstay of every mall food court is Chinese food.  At one time they had a gourmet fortune cookie window connected with the restaurant.  However, I didn't see it anymore now that they have switched sides.  The Lucky Fortune Cookery is like many mall places.  We all have eaten at restaurants like Panda Express which this food resembles.  Traditional rice bowls contain rice and a choice of entrees.  Chicken, beef, or tofu is served with different sauces like Teriyaki, Mandarin orange, spicy Korean, and Thai curry.  However, with so many food choices I think I could find something better.

Pacific Rim Foods

With all the current retheming that is going at what used to be called California Adventure and now called Disney California Adventure is an area known as Condor Flats.  In that area, the is an excellent food choice, Taste Pilots Grill.  They have good old fashioned American cuisine.  Barbecued ribs, Angus hamburgers, and french fries and onion rings.  It also a short from the Grand Californian Hotel so it is a good first stop when you reenter the park after your swim.  The put in space-age self-serve electronic kiosks so that you could place your order.  I don't know if these will be removed now that the area will be reassigned.  One thing that has already flown away is the rocket busting through the front of the building.

Where good taste is rocket science

As we get ready for our annual Summer visit and the opening of Cars Land, we will get pictures ready to show the transformation to the new Walt Disney's era California.  Please comment if you want any special pictures or information.Try these links