Always Go Left at Plaza Inn

     We go to the Plaza Inn Character Breakfast every year.  The first year that we went was a surprise for my moms birthday. We enjoyed it so much that we made it one of our Disney vacation traditions. No matter what else we plan we make sure to include the breakfast.

     The restaurant has seating outside and then inside to the right and to the left of the main entrance. Up until the last two years we have sat on the left side of the restauran

t. The food is great but of course we go for the character interaction too. That is the main reason we go actually. is to see the characters, yes it is the child in is, it is the Disney in our hearts. To us they are all real.

     When you sit on the left side the characters come around constantly. You take a bite of food and then it is time to take another picture. The characters are everywhere. We just love it. Then year before last we were seated on the right side. We really didn't think much of it but later we would.

     There were several families sitting on the right side but the characters did not come around. We got our food and waited, Minnie finally showed up and I think maybe Pooh but we watched as the characters would go to the left, outside, almost to our side and then they would leave. We were disappointed. There were little kids who were also disappointed so one of the parents went to let the cast members know that we all wanted to see the characters too. She said that they would send them over but thirty minutes later after watching them make their rounds everywhere but our area,we left. The food was still great but the experience was not magical.

     Last summer we were seated on the right again. I made a comment to the cast member who took us to our seats stating that we had a bad experience last year with the right side and we really wanted to see the characters. I had even requested when I made our reservations not to be seated on the right. But the cast member assured us that the characters would come to our table. Once again though we watched them make their rounds to the left, outside and only three came to our side. It was yet again a great meal but not so magical experience.

     We will go to the Character breakfast again this year but we will insist on the left side because we go for the characters too and we want to get our money's worth and our magic.

We Made it Through the Rain Without Wipers

     We are die hard Disney fans, this year proved how nothing will stop us from taking our yearly trip to the Happiest Place on Earth. 

     Prior to our July 2015 trip my moms van was having issues. She had it in the shop several times and we were a bit concerned that we would have to all crowd into my small car. Mind you if that would have been the case, we would have done it. (Shoot when I was a kid we piled several of us into vehicles and even without air conditioning.) One problem with the van would get fixed, another would arise, then another problem fixed and another new one. Finally a few days before we were to leave the van was working. 

     On the night of July 1, 2015, the night before we were to leave town, my mom went to wash the van and called me to tell me that the windshield wipers did not work. We were starting to wonder if for some reason we were not supposed to go to California. But that thought did not last long. We knew we were going no matter what.

     The next morning my mom took the van in to the shop to see if they could fix the wipers. We thought maybe something had been unhooked when they fixed another problem. But, they told her it was the motor and it would take them at least a half a day to fix it. Well that was not going to work. My mom told them were were headed out of town so the man at the garage told her to use Rain-X on the windshield.

     You would think rain would  not be a concern in July but every year we usually hit rain in Flagstaff and sometimes near Kingman, Az. So, we got some Rain-X and put it on the windshield. We squirted it on and then wiped it off. It left a film but we did not care. 

     Lo and behold we did hit rain, it was near Flagstaff and it did come down pretty hard at some points. At first we were feeling a panic because we had no wipers but the rain balled up and just ran off the windshield. It actually worked better than wipers at times. It was so strange though. When we slowed down it was harder to see because it did not run off the windshield. 

     We stopped, got gas and put more Rain-X on the windshield. We hit more rain near Kingman and it was even harder rain but again the Rain-X proved to amaze us.We put it on again but the next time we put it one we read the bottle and it said to wipe with a damp cloth after applying to remove the film. We did that and no more film. Rain-X saved the day.

     We proved that come hell or high water, wipers or no wipers, nothing will keep us from Disney Resort. "We Made it Through the Rain" became our theme song for the year.

Disney's California Adventure Park of Old

     Disney’s California Adventure Park is an amazing park at Disney Resort in Anaheim, California. It opened in Feb 2001. I first visited the park with my family in July 2003. It is a different type of Disney experience that is as magical as a Disneyland experience in a different way. It has also undergone many changes which made us sad but it still remains magical. When we first went there in 2003 and until the changes, the lands in Disney’s California Adventure park consisted of five different lands, Sunshine Plaza, Hollywood Pictures Backlot, Paradise Pier, Golden State and Bugs Land.

     When you went under the Golden Gate Bridge after entering the park you were in Sunshine Plaza.  It was such a spectacular place. The Beach Boys, Peter Paul and Mary and many other California “surfing” songs play overhead giving the area a magical California feel.  It was also a lot of fun to eat an ice cream cone at Brr Bank Ice Cream Parlor, an ice cream parlor that was inside a replica of a Zephyr train. The entire area has changed and the music is not the same but it still is magical.

     To the right of Sunshine Plaza was the Golden State where many excellent rides and attractions  are located. Soaring over California (now just called Soarin) is an amazing adventure in flight that takes the flyer on a trip over California. Grizzly River Run takes guests on a rafting trip on the rapids. It is a fun adventure where riders will most likely not just get wet, they will get soaked. Red Creek Challenge is a fun place in the Golden State for kids. It’s a trail where kids can hike and play. My kids loved it when they were younger.

     Golden State has some wonderful restaurants to eat at. Tate Pilot Grill (now Smokejumpers) is a part of what was called  Condor Flats and a delicious counter service restaurant where burgers, fries, ribs and many other foods are served. The service is excellent and the atmosphere was that of an old rocket test laboratory. It is still a great place to eat, the food and atmosphere are the same. The music is not as good as before.

     From Golden State guests entered Paradise Pier, a part of the park that has a seaside amusement park theme feel. Guests can travel fast on California Screamin, based on the old wooden roller coasters, with a special twist. Toy Story Mania is another one of Paradise Pier’s fun adventures. Travelers enter the world of toys where they get to be a part of arcade games with some fun special effects.

     While visiting Paradise Pier guest have many different counter service restaurants to choose from. The Pacific Warf Café has delicious bread that is freshly baked at the Boudin Bakery. They serve clam chowder, broccoli soup or chili all in sour dough bread bowl.  They also have sandwiches on their delicious bread. Other restaurants in Warf district are Mexican style restaurants and the new Asian counter service restaurant The Lucky Fortune Cookery.

     A Bug’s Land is next to Paradise Pier’s Pacific Warf District. A Bugs Land is a great place for little kids. It is also a lot of fun for big kids. Visitors get to learn what it’s like to be a bug in “It’s Tough to Be a Bug.” Guests can also take a trip on Heimlich's Chew Chew to see what a caterpillar eats. There are many other rides in A Bug’s Land for everyone to enjoy.

  Hollywood Pictures Back Lot now just called Backlot, is a trip to Hollywood’s past. The stores and shops scream out Hollywood. Guests could watch the Muppets in the 3D laboratory in Muppet Vision 3D  which sadly is now gone, visit Monstropolis with Mike and Sully on Mike and Sully to the Rescue. Crush is there to give visitors a look into the world of a humorous turtle and everyone can be terrorized as they ride the elevator on Tower of Terror. The whole backlot is a fantastic experience. They have a great hot dog place, Award Wieners where guests can get a hot dog and chips. Hollywood Backlot also has an excellent live play Aladdin where guests can experience a professional play. Aladdin is also leaving the theater.

     At night time the park comes to life with the new water show, World of Color. It is an amazing show that uses lights, water and song to enhance and tell a story using many different Disney movies.

     The entire park is an amazing Disney experience. Coming soon they have a trolley and Cars Land.  Guests need to plan several days at Disney’s California Adventure Park to experience it all especially now with the addition of Cars Land. I will write about the park as it is now soon. 

Favorite Places to Eat at Disney's California Adventure Park

     I wrote about our favorite places to eat at Disneyland, now I will tell what our favorite places are in Disney's California Adventure Park (DCA). The price range is about the same as Disneyland. Some places are a little more costly but not compared to places you might eat outside the park. Taste Pilot Grill, Award Wieners, Cozy Cone, Flo's V8, Pacific Warf Cafe, Cocina Cucamonga Mexican Grill and Ghirdelli's are our favorite places to eat when we are at DCA.

     Taste Pilot Grill is now called Smokejumpers but will always be Taste Pilot to us. The atmosphere has changed but the food is pretty much the same. They have some of the best burgers I've ever tasted. They also offer an excellent condiment bar where you get a delicious barbecue sauce along with all the other burger fixings. Their fries are good here too but sure not as good as when we first started eating here in 2003. back then they have the seasoned waffle fries and they were the best fries ever! I really don't know why the got rid of them but know we miss those fries a lot!

     Award Wiener is a great place to get a delicious hot dog. We go there when we are not real hungry because even though their dogs are yummy they only give out chips so you tend not to fill up as well as when they serve fries. When we first started going to the park they had fries and we sure do wish they would bring them back.

    When we are looking more for a snack than a meal or just a small meal, Cozy Cone is the place to go. Cozy Cone has a fritz pie in a delicious bread cone. They also have Chili Con Case but it is not my favorite. We go here a few times each visit to the resort. Cozy Cone also has a delicious soft serve ice cream and some delicious Churro bites.

     For a nice meal that is on the healthier side we go to Flo's V8 Cafe. It is still counter service but delicious food. The meals are a bit more expensive than the other restaurants but here you get meat and two vegetables. We always walk away full. The atmosphere is a lot of fun whether you eat inside or out. The outside seating area looks on to Radiator Springs Racers or you can just chill out on Route 66..

     Pacific Warf Cafe is where we get soup in a bread bowl. We love to eat here and take our food to the large eating area. You can also get food at Cocina Cucamonga Mexican Grill and sit in the same area. There is something for everyone in the Pacific Warf eating area. The bread bowl I like to get is clam chowder. I don't care much for sour dough bread but it is good with the soup. I keep hoping someday they will use regular bread too. I love the chicken dinner at Cochina's. With that you get chicken and a vegetable or two.

     There are times when we really are not all that hungry or actually are not hungry for a meal. So then we go to Ghirdelli's for an ice cream dinner. We usually get a sundae or one scoop of ice cream with toppigs. It is a wonderful way to end a magical day in the parks or a magical afternoon or any magical time.

     No matter where you eat in DCA the food is delicious and you leave feeling fueled. Then you are ready to enjoy the rest of your day or head back to the room for a restful night


.
   

Special Memories With a Special Cast Member

     We have had many cast members make our visits to Disneyland and California Adventure Park special, magical and memorable. They not only do their job by meeting the needs of the guests but go above and beyond making each guest feel important and loved. Those remarkable cast members love their jobs and it shows. I only know the name of one cast member who made special memories for us because we met up with her two years different years and we remembered her.

     This cast member is Paula and she works in Fantasyland. In 2006 while we were waiting to ride on Casey Jr. Paula joked with my youngest son who was nine years old at the time. She told him that he was a monkey and made us all laugh. Later we saw her at the Carousel too and she made us laugh once again.

     Several years later in 2011 when my son was fourteen years old we were waiting to ride Casey Jr and the cast member working there was joking and telling the kids they were monkeys, she was incredibly funny. I remembered her from 2006 and we visited with her telling her that she had joked with my son back when he was only nine years old. He remembered her too which she thought was very special.

     Paula was a lot of fun and we went back to see her the next night when she took a picture with my son. Meeting such a fun cast member two different years was a special adventure to us all and I believe it was magical for her to have us remember her unique sense of humor and wonderful personality. She said it made her feel great knowing that she helped make our visit to the Happiest Place on Earth a fabulous experience.

     Other cast members are special too and I will share those experiences too but felt this one needed its own spot to shine

Our Favorite Places to Eat at Disneyland

     Dining at Disneyland is fun just because it is Disneyland. The restaurants are a lot of fun and add a special magic to the entire experience. Many people say the prices are way out of line but in reality there are many place to eat that are no more expensive than a meal at McDonald's. Disneyland has many different places to eat. Some of our favorites are Redd Rocket Pizza Port, Plaza Inn, Golden Horseshoe/Stage Door Cafe, River Belle Terrace, Cafe Orleans and we used to love Blue Bayou.

     I will start with The Blue Bayou, The Blue Bayou is a fancy dining restaurant and requires a reservation because they are so busy. The atmosphere is a lot of fun since it is located in the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction. The service is excellent and until the last two years we thought worth the high costs. We have gone there every year since 2006 but after last year will never go again which is sad. Their menu has changed and the food is not as good as it used to be.Well except for their gumbo, it is out of this world!  We've experienced the atmosphere so it is time to leave this wonderful restaurant behind and enjoy our memories of the Blue Bayou. I will write about our memories of this beautiful restaurant later on.

     Redd Rocket Pizza Port is located in Tomorrowland and is a great place to go for pizza or pasta. They also offer salads which we don't eat often because well, who wants salad when you have pizza and pasta. Pizza Port is a counter service restaurant where guests can watch them prepare some of the food. All of their food is very affordable and delicious. Seating is inside the restaurant and outside too. Our favorite place to eat is actually by the entrance to Space Mountain. We eat at Pizza Port several times when we visit Disneyland. The atmosphere is futuristic and a lot of fun.

     For character dining at its best, The Plaza Inn near the entrance to Tomorrowland is the place to be. It is a buffet style restaurant and the food is absolutely delicious. The atmosphere is super fun. Disney characters come by your table for photo ops and to interact with you. It’s a little on the pricey side, but it is so much fun. It is another magical experience. Do make sure you ask to be seated on the left side, for some reason the characters go there most often.

       The Golden Horseshoe in Frontierland is another of Disneyland’s counter service restaurants. They offer chicken and fish strips. We used to go for the entertainment but Billy Hill and the Hillbillies are no longer there so we just go for the food which you can also get at the Stage Door Cafe located to the right of the Shoe. They offer the same food except also offer hand dipped corn dogs and funnel cakes that are to die for.

       The River Belle Terrace is a wonderful place to eat breakfast. They offer many different meals including Mickey Mouse pancakes. It is a counter service restaurant but the food is always delicious and fresh. River Belle is an elegant restaurant. You can sit inside or outside and watch the Mark Twain sail the waters on the Rivers of America.

     Our new discovery in 2015 was Cafe Orleans. Because of our love for The Blue Bayou gumbo we decided to try Cafe Orleans. We had heard they serve the same gumbo and well, they do! Oh how excited we were to find out favorite food at a lot cheaper price. You can also get just a bowl of gumbo and it is a good helping too. We tried their Monte Cristo as well and found it to be delicious too. Cafe Orleans is now one of our favorite places to eat at Disneyland. We will eat there several times each trip I am sure.

     There are other places to eat at Disneyland but the ones I have mentioned are our favorites.  Dining at Disneyland is fun just because it is Disneyland. The restaurants are a lot of fun and add special magic to the entire experience.

  

     

Toddler Plays "Drums" With Mad T Party Band and Nathan's Blooper

     I am sure by now everyone who follows me knows how much I love the Mad T Party Band. They are amazing and have really helped me through some depressed moments lately. Just watching the video I took and videos others have posted makes me smile. Sometimes I really need that pick me up.

    On July 7, 2015 when we stopped by to have our nightly dose of T we noticed this adorable little toddler just really getting into drumming with the band while they played. He had what looked like pencils and he was really watching the Cheshire Cat play. I imagine this little fellow's dad plays the drums or they spend a lot of time at the T Party. Either way I just had to record him playing.

     I noticed some of the band members where smiling at him and I am not sure what happened to Nathan in this video but he got tickled and could barely introduce the Catterpillar and was laughing and could not sing the first few lyrics of the song. It was funny and what makes live performances fun.

     I hope you enjoy this video as much as I enjoyed recording and sharing it.

     Toddler Plays Drums With Mad T Party Band

My Grandma's Last Disney Year: Disneyland's 50th Birthday

     I recently wrote about being at Disney's 50th birthday celebration and also the 60th. What I forgot to mention was that the 50th was also my grandmas last year with us at the parks. Grandma going to Disneland with us the last few years of her life was so special for all of us.

     Grandma had to use a wheelchair because of her arthritis but none of us minded pushing her along. My oldest son was only 10 at the time and he always wanted to push her. We joked about it because one time my mom let him and he ran her into things. It was funny really.

     We didn't usually sit and wait for the firewroks but that year we did. We waited in front of the castle for hours and well, it was worth it. The show was amazing.

     This year for the 60th we waited for a long time at the end of Main Street closest to Central Plaza. We didn't wait on the curb like the 50th but we did wait a long time. The show as just as spectacular and I am sure grandma would have loved it.

     Grandma left us before the Electriccal Parade left DCA so she didn't have to be sad for that loss. She would have loved the new Paint the Night Parade too.

     Our last year with my grandma at Disneyland was special just like any time we spent with her. Just like Disney's birthday, our time with her was golden. She sparkles like the diamond of the 60th in our hearts.

2005

2015

Mad T Party at DCA

     A couple of years ago I wrote an article about The Mad T Party at Disney's California Adventure Park (DCA). My thoughts of the party were negative at the time. I did not like it because they served alcohol and I figured that the entire party was just a big drunken party.

     In 2014 however we learned once again that we should check everything out that Disney has to offer. If it is at Disney Resort, it is most likely good.

     It was by accident that we discovered the fun of the T Party and the amazing Mad T Party Band. We had just gotten off Tower of Terror and had to use the restroom. We went to the one by the T Party. When we came out there was dancing and other things going on. The music was fun so we decided to stop and watch. Then all of the sudden we heard a band playing and knew the songs. We went to check them out and well the rest for us is history.

     We still don't like that they allow alcohol but the people there do not get drunk and it is still a lot of fun.

     We fell in love with the Mad T Party Band. We made sure to go to every show we could. Then this year we looked forward to our daily dose of T.

     The shows run 6-6:30, then from then on the half hour until the last show at 9:30. Each night there are different people playing the parts of the Hatter, March Hare, Door Mouse, Alice, Cheshire Cat, caterpillar and the White Rabbit is DJ for the times the T Party Band is not playing.

     Of course we do have our favorite's and look for them to be on stage each time we watch the show.  In 2015 we tried to make it to most of the shows. We even gave up riding on attractions to see the T Party Band. That is how much we love it.

      It has been around 3 weeks since our last night of T and well, I must say I miss it terribly. We now follow many of the members in their other endeavors and truly enjoy all they do.

     So until next year when we get to have our daily T, the pictures and video from our visit will have to do. Here are some of the video's I took with my camera. Next year I am taking an actual video camera.

     All the Small Things 
     Everybody Talks

Ant-Man Preview at DCA

     I am late getting this blog out but hopefully I can reach a few people who have not had the chance to watch Ant-Man at DCA before it leaves on August 3, 2015.

     This year while on our Disney vacation we walked by one of our favorite attractions, It's Tough to Be a Bug only to find that it was gone, in its place was a premier of the movie Ant-Man. We were very upset. I mean why would Disney remove an attraction for a movie preview?  We thought, really Disney, who wants to pay all this money to see a movie preview? I took a picture and was going to write about how upset we were about this.

     One day while at Disney's California Adventure Park (DCA) I told my mom and aunt that we needed to see Ant-Man preview, I mean as a writer how can I write about something I haven't seen.  So we went to see the Ant-Man premier.

     I am so glad we went to see the premier because it was a lot of fun. They did not just have a movie premier, it was an attraction just like Tough to Be a Bug is an attraction. Disney used the effects of the room for the new attraction and well, we loved it a lot!  We loved it so much that we had my son go the next time and we looked forward to watching it again.

     This experience reminded us that we must try everying that is Disney because most of the time it is great and we will love it. I am so very glad we tried the Ant-Man premier and actually wish it would be there next year even though I love Tough to Be a Bug.

    If you have the chance in the next two days, go and see Ant-Man where Tough to Be a Bug lives before it retires.

Was There for the 50th and Now for the 60th

     Yes our trip to Disney Resort in Anaheim is near. Only 12 more days and we are on our way.  It is hard to believe another year has passed and the magical time is near. I will soon soar on Soarin, fall on Splash Montian, Drop on Tower, splash on Grizzly River run and scream on Screamin. All in one day most times too. I will also get to travel to the future on Star Tours, go swashbuckling on Pirates and meet those 999 haunts at the mansion.

     This year is a special year. It is Disney's 60th birthday, it is hte diamond celebration. Wow how completely exciting. We were there for the 50th gold and it was amazing so I am sure this celebration will be just as wonderful.

     Disney's California Adventure Park has under gone some changes and while I am sad to see some things leave, I am excited for the changes too.  I am also so excited to see the Mad T Party Band play again. I will let everyone know if the music has changed outside Soarin and how the changes are in the old Taste Pilot Grill and Fly N Buy.

     Disneyland has done some imgaineering to Peter Pan which will be truly enthralling. Alice was amazing so I know Peter Pan will be as well.

     There are new window stories too which I can't wait to see. The fireworks will be amazing and then there's the new Electrical Parade. Wow it will be amazing and I will have a lot to tell.

     I will take a lot of pictures, video and have many new memories to share.

The Final Change, Saddest of All

     Soarin Over California is one of our favorite rides. It is a part of Condor Flats which no longer exists. This year Soarin has a new theme and will look different inside. We were told to take pictures of it last year since it was the last year it would look like it does. The attraction did need updating because the film was getting worn out. I am not sure that they needed to get rid of Condor Flats and the aviation theme though. Time will tell, I will write about it when we expeience it ourselves.

     We loved the music and theme of Soarin as it was. Change is hard and this is the hardest change of all.


Outside Soarin in Condor Flats

Soarin inside, going to miss this shot. I will miss being cleared for take-off.

    Soon we will be introduced to the new Soarin, but I must say farewell to the old Soarin Over California and Condor Flats. We will miss you.

Farewell to Taste Pilot Grill

     One of our favorite places to eat is Taste Pilot Grill. Not just because they have wonderful food but we also loved the ambiance of the establishment. The aviation theme and music while inside the restaurant were special for us.

     We have seen the appearance of the restaurant change and this year when we go to DCA it will no longer be called Taste Pilot Grill. It is now Smoke Jumpers Grill or something of that nature. We do not know what to expect and I am sure it will still be an excellent place to eat but we will miss the aviation theme and music.

 This is what the outside of the TPG looked like when we first started going to DCA in 2003. We loved the plane.










After a few years they changed it and took the plane away.
We miss the plane.

This is the inside of the TPG, I am sad that it will not look this way anymore. 

I am sure the food will be great and I will write about the new restaurant but I am still sad that the Grill has changed and will miss the Taste Pilot Grill.

More Things We Miss at DCA

     There are more things we miss at DCA, one of those are the letters in the central plaza area. We loved the letters, they were not only interesting, pretty and unique but they were great photo op spots. Over the years we have taken many pictures near and in the letters. My kids loved to just sit in the letters. We truly miss them.

     My sons having fun posing in the letters.

      A family shot inside the letters back in 2004 when my grandma went with us.

 Oldest son as he was getting almost too big to sit inside the A.

  
     Youngest posing in the C

     Another huge change that took place was the removal of the replica of the San Francisco bridge. We loved the bridge, it was fun watching the Monorail travel over it and just as fun riding over it as we were on the Monorail. We took a lot of photo's in front of the bridge too. Here are a couple shots of the bridge that is now a part of history. 

     The entrance to the park is completely different and the letters are gone, the after you enter the park the bridge is gone, we do like the changes but in honestly not as well as we did these pieces of history. Thankfully we will always have our memories and pictures.

 

More Disney California Adventure Park Memories

     Many of our favorite attractions, landmarks and places to hang out are now a part of the DCA memory book. We love some of the new attractions and hang outs but miss the old places we loved. It is hard to say goodbye to something to love and relegate it to a memory.

     One thing that we absolutely loved to do was to get ice cream at Brr Bank Ice Cream, sit and watch the Beach Boys cover band play while enjoying our ice cream.  We loved the old Zephyr and was sad to see it leave.

   We spend many hours sitting at these tables people watching and listening to the music played by the Beach Boys cover band. We also enjoyed just sitting there to listen to the overhead music too. It was all California beach music and made us happy. It is something that my family and I miss a lot.
    The new building is nice but just not the same. The music overhead is not some we enjoy and we do not like the entertainment that is played over by Carthay Circle. I wonder if anyone really likes that old twenties style music. It is loud and makes it very hard to visit as we sit to have ice cream. We now have our ice cream over at Ghirdelli's on the Warf.

     We also loved the Titanium Sun, it was beautiful and had such an amazing water show if you took the time to watch. We also watched the Electrical Parade from that spot because it was not crowded and the best spot where you could see the entire parade. It was sad to see it go. The Carathay Circle building is pretty but just not the same. The prices are not affordable for families and well, I just think it is not something Walt would have placed in his park, maybe the building but not the high priced restaurant.

     Not only was the Titanium Sun a great place to watch the Elecrical parade and a beautiful landmark, it was also an excellent place for photo ops. We spent a lot of time there. 

      The old Woody is the car the Beach Boys cover band drove around. I really miss that show.

     Another attraction that we missed a lot disappeared before we even know it. I don't even know when it disappeared, I think it was in 2012 but long before that the things we loved about it were gone. You could have a water fight and my kids loved to pretend to surf. We went to see it one year and it was gone. It wasn't a place we visited a lot but we did enjoy it.

DCA is still one of our favorite places and we do love most all of the new attractions but I think a farewell to the ones that will forever live in our memories had to be done.  Next post I will remember more of our favorite attractions/landmark/memories.

Disney's California Adventure Park: Memories of the Past

Way back in 2003 when my mom and I first took my kids to Disney's California Adventure Park (DCA) which had not been open for long. We had never been there either. We all fell in love with the park. We loved the Southern Beach feel that it had. It was not Disneyland but had a Disney feel complete with Disney magic. We spent a lot of time hopping from one park to the next.

Back in 2008 we were told that there were many huge plans for the park. There was this huge expansion about to happen. We were excited because they told us that there would be a Cars Land but yet we were also sad to see many of the things we love go away. I thought it would be fun to write a blog showcasing some of the things we loved and miss most of all at DCA

The first thing to go that we loved was Golden Dreams. It was a wonderful and interesting story told by Woopie Goldberg about California and the dreams that made it what it is today. I wish they would put the story on DVD becaue it was such a great story. Sadly I didn't get any pictures of Golden Dreams before it was removed but I did get some shots of this building that was just around the corner. We spent a lot of time there because restrooms were a part of this structure.  My sons also loved getting their pictures taken here.

When we arrived in 2009 to find Golden Years gone and Ariel's attraction in the making we also found that the water at the pier had been drained so they could put in World of Color.

This picture was taken back in July 2003 on our first visit to DCA. Such a different view from what was to come.

This shot was taken in 2003 too. 

Then later in 2009 things looked much different in this area. The water was gone and the sun wheel had changed. We looked forward to the World of Color but things sure did look dreary without the water.

A few years later in 2010 things had changed quite a bit. The Orange Stinger was gone and in its place was Silly Symphony Swings. I must admit we have not tried them. We felt secure inside the stinger but have not felt as secure being out in the open. Someday I will give it a twirl though. 

This is the Maliboomer in its glory. One of my sons favorite rides after they got the nerve to ride it. Sadly they were only able to enjoy it for a couple of years before it was removed.

The following year another area we loved was gone. Bountiful Valley Farms left for Cars Land. Now don't get me wrong, we love Cars Land but we were sad to see this neat area leave. 

One of the saddest things for us was to say goodbye to our beloved Electrical Parade. I remember watching it as a child as it went down Main Street USA. Then we were lucky to see it again at DCA. The music always makes us dance and we were brokenhearted to learn it would be leaving in 2010. I hope everyone enjoys these shots I took in 2009 as we said farewell to a Disney tradition. I will post YouTube video once I get that loaded.

That ends my memory lane tribute for now. I will continue soon with a tribute to the DCA entrance and the San Francisco Bridge replica and the letters. We also will dearly miss Condor Flats. Soon we will see the new area and I am sure we will love it but that does not mean we do not miss what was.