Across to Denny's for a veggie omelette - we used to have Denny's. wonder what happened to them. The omelette was good - lots of veggies.
It's literally across the road to Disneyland and straight up to the ticket booth (cos it's only 7:40 and it doesn't open till 9:00). I figure I'll get the ticket then go back and come across closer to 9. But after I get my ticket (which was not a problem - worried for nothing), I noticed people were lining up already and going in. So I figure I'll go down and do the same.
There's music playing all through the park - all Disney songs. First I heard was It's a Small World.
They are letting in people who are staying at the resorts in first but the lady lets me in cos I want the restroom and I'm just one person, I suppose. I walk in and up all the way to the back - no Main Street, no Teacup ride, nothing that looks familiar. So now I'm thinking either I've had it wrong in my head all this time or I'm in the wrong place. So I go back to the entrance and it IS the wrong place - it's California Adventure. I explain my mistake and they give me the pass out so I can go over and queue for Disneyland Park. This looks more like it.
I had sort of forgotten that there might be a lot of children here...
Anyway, in through the gates and here I am in Disneyland! How exciting.
But now it's only 8:30 and they just let you into Main Street. All the 'lands' are roped off. I'm thinking I'll head to Splash Mountain first so head to the rope for Frontierland that will lead to Critter Country. Having a good chat to the guy guarding the rope. There's a couple next to me who are going to the Haunted House first and the guard guy suggests I do the same, cos I also sort of want to do that, and then go to Splash Mountain as that has a Single Rider ticket - you can skip the queue a bit cos you can fill single spots.
So it's straight to the Haunted House and I'm in the second group to go in.
It's so very cool, all the lights go out and the floor drops down. There's narration and scary images played above. The door opens and you walk through and into a car. This then travels along through the tunnels, spinning all around backwards and forwards, there's skeletons and pumpkins and it's fabulous.
These are pumpkins and skulls.
By the time I got out, the queue had grown to this...
So I mentally thanked the couple and the guy at the rope!
Next up, Splash Mountain. Don't know why this is on my must-do, but it is. Probably cos it's so quintessential Disney. Around I go, and there's no one in the queue! So I don't need the Single Rider. I ask why it's empty and they say it's always like that in the morning.
It's not until I'm in the ride and we're taking off that I realise this is potentially a scary ride. But there's nothing I can do now. It's very gentle at first. You glide along through the waterways with Brer Rabbit animations all the way through. We come to a large opening with lots of characters and it's just so fabulous and I'm very happy right now!
We go down a little slope and it splashes. Then you get to the big one. There's a pause and I'm thinking I want to get off. Then it goes up, teeters on the top and then down you go and it's fabulous!
Nice gentle ride back and then for the really scary part - the photo of you going over the edge...
I'm gripping on for dear life.
I have a wander around the New Orleans section and then go across to Tom Sawyer Island on the raft. This is a cute adventure area, like a huge playground with pirates treasures, tree houses and caves.
Next, I'm debating whether to dare the Indiana Jones ride when I see two little kids go in with their mum, so I figure I should be okay. There's not a bad line here either and we're soon hopping into the jeeps and strapping in.
The ride is so much fun - zooming around up and down, jerking around corners, snakes and arrows attacking you, and then the boulder comes at you and the jeep ducks just in time. It's great too. No photos inside this one cos the camera would have gone within seconds.
Then the Jungle RIver, which has a bit of a line but it moves well. I get put onto a good seat along the water and then they have another family and the girl tells me to move to the middle - where I really don't want to sit. But I don't have a choice, unfortunately and she knew I wasn't happy about it.
The ride was good, though. They are all well done. Lots of interesting things to look at and good, fun narration.
Now I need a coffee and Mickey Mouse chocolate cheesecakey thing. I also need the sit down. I don't actually need the cheesecakey thing...
Next in to Tomorrowland and into the queue for Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage. The queue line says 30 minutes. Thankfully there was the Star Wars place next to the line. They were teaching little kids how to light sabre fight and then Darth Vader comes out and fights them all. So cute.
Into the submarine and away we go. As the movie was set on the Great Barrier Reef, the narration was an Aussie, so it sounded right to me. We go underwater and there's all the Nemo characters. At one point the sharks attack, the submarine shakes and the lights go out. And the little kids start screaming. They are calmed by the parents except for one little girl who keeps calling out, "I hate this, Daddy."
But she has to wait. Thankfully the sharks don't last long and the jellyfish and turtles appear and she's okay.
I have a wander through Fantasyland, see Rapunzal and her prince and some cute rides. Including the famous flying Dumbo. But Small Workd is closed!!!
I've been here a long time and I feel the need to get away for a breather. Especially considering it's like this...
On the way out, the Fire Brigade band is playing. Cruella de Vil comes to dance with him. Then
Chip and Dale.
Then I simply have to cross the road. Pop into the Ihop for lunch - where there are more screaming kids - and then back up to my room to sit in peace for a while.
After a breaks I'm ready to go back over. And I'm actually smiling as I walk through the gates! It's good to see it's quieted down a bit...
I have decided I don't care that I'm by myself, I'm going to do the other must-do, which is the Mad Hatters Tea Cup .. So off I go. Line up, into the purple tea cup and we're off. There's a family in the cup next to me who are eating ice creams and fairy floss - good luck with that as you're about to go spinning.
My first plan was to hold the cup still but I ended up spinning it round back and forth. Such fun.
Next up is a wander through Toon Town - loved this place.
Past the castle again to line up to ensure a good seat for the parade.
There's a group of us here waiting - the Spanish and the Mediterranian and me, we were joined by the young couple. The girl comes here all the time.
The parade starts and they all march throught. It's fabulous - great characters, all dancing down the street.
After the parade, I'm heading back to Fantasyland to the Peter Pan ride and I don't notice a step, down I go, it's amazing how your mind slows down. I had time to think "I'm falling down and it's going to hurt." A lady helped me up and I limped off. It hurt and it's going to be purple in a number of spots tomorrow. I get this shot though.
I'm queuing now for the Peter Pan ride. It's a long queue - 40 minutes but again, it moves well.
There's the carriage, shaped like the pirate ship.
Finally up to the end here and I load into the carriage which raises up like it's flying and into the Darling children's bedroom. This ride is really magical. It 'flies' out the window and over the top of London followed by the arrival at Neverland. Hook and Smee and Tinkerbell are all here. It's great! And I want to do it again but another 40 minute wait - no.
Next it's off to Pirates of the Caribbean but after standing in the queue for a short time, they close it off. So I wander up to think about getting a spot for the fireworks, but there's still time so I go back to Pirates and they just open it up so it's straight down and in.
I'm sitting in a puddle and my feet are in water. The ride starts, goes down a section and stops for quite a while, it eventually starts up and goes along. It's okay, not fantastic. The animatronics are incredible and make it worthwhile just to see them.
Now it's back to Main Street. I ask a helper guy what time it is and will they start on time. He says they may be canceled because of high winds (up high, not down where we are). So when the announcement came that they were indeed cancelled, it wasn't such a shock. And very annoying - I only have one day. Thank goodness I had a good look yesterday.
So down to the River of the Americas to get a spot for the Fantastism show. Chatted to another lady with a very little baby and a 6-year-old.
The show begins and it's fabulous. It's a version of Fantasia and uses the water and lights and the riverboats.
I took a final look in Fantasyland. It's nearly 11:00 and the place is still packed. Went over the top of the inside ifmSleeping Beauty's castle. They have the story of how her story was created.
And here's Main Street as I'm on the way out...
Great, great day!
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