Vacation recap, Day 8.

Friday, July 21

Another day for B at the Comic-Con, and a third day at Disney for me and the kids!

When planning our vacation, we discovered we could save money by buying Southern California City Passes, which include tickets to Universal Studios, the San Diego Zoo, Sea World and Disneyland. Each pass actually included a three-day Park Hopper ticket for Disneyland and California Adventure, and even though we had only planned on spending two days in Anaheim, it was still cheaper to buy the pass.

That was the plan: Anaheim on Tuesday and Wednesday, then San Diego the rest of the week. But Wednesday afternoon we discovered the greatness that is California Adventure, and our brief taste of that park let us know that yes, we would indeed need a third day in Anaheim! There were plenty of fun things we could do in San Diego Friday, but we just couldn't pass up another Disney day--especially since it was paid for!

So Friday morning, we dropped B off at the convention center and headed north for the 90- minute (or so) drive. I was a little nervous about driving a rental car by myself with the kids (What if we have a blow-out? What if we run out of gas? What if I get lost? What if I lose all our money?), but the drive was so beautiful, I almost forgot my worries. With the Pacific to our left and the mountains to our right, I had a hard time keeping my eyes on the road. It was amazing to see the sights we'd missed driving into San Diego Wednesday night. It may have been the scenery, or maybe it was the traveling music (We listened to the High School Musical soundtrack), but we were there before we knew it.

First off, we wanted to ride our Disneyland favorites one more time. We really wanted to hit the mountains (Splash and Space) again, but time (and FastPass) constraints meant we didn't get another spin in Space. We did do Haunted Mansion and Buzz Lightyear again, though, and we took some "last chance" pictures, like this one in front of Splash Mountain.
After another lunch at Pizza Port in Tomorrowland and some more shopping, it was back to California Adventure! We LOVED that place! The lines were short or non-existent, and the rides were FUN! We skipped a few attractions like a bug's land and the Grizzly River Run raft ride (below), but we still enjoyed the view of the bear-shaped mountain. Pretty cool!

We did get to take plenty of turns on California Screamin':

And we also experienced the Sun Wheel:

I have ridden tons of rides at theme parks and carnivals, but this one really got me, thanks to the "swinging" gondolas. Most ferris wheels have stationary gondolas, as this one does along its circumference. This one has tracks inside the circle, and the swinging gondolas slide along those tracks as the wheel turns. ("Sliding" gondolas would be a more accurate description.) Of course, we waited in the longer line to ride in one of the swinging gondolas, which I stupidly thought would be fun. And they were. Until the ride started.

Once everyone was loaded up, we started to move and take in the sights. I pulled out the camcorder and had just pushed the "RECORD" button when--WHOOOOOOOSH! We started sliding! Since we basically were in a big cage with no seatbelts or lap bar, I just KNEW R&K were going to start flying around our gondola. Of course, they didn't get tossed around, but they were filled with glee because they could tell that Mom was SCARED.

With every turn, we slid some more. I held on tighter, but R&K screamed with delight. What fun. For THEM.

I don't know why that got to me. I love roller coasters; I'm not afraid of heights. There was just something about that sliding sensation that caught me off-guard.

I guess nothing brings siblings together like scaring the living daylights out of Mom:

In addition to the Sun Wheel and California Screamin', other Paradise Pier rides kept us entertained: the Maliboomer, Mulholland Madness and Golden Zephyr.

We also managed to catch Soarin' Over California, which allowed us to hang-glide over some of California's famous locales. It was incredible how we could feel wind on our faces as we flew from side to side, and as we flew over an orange grove, we could smell oranges! It was a true sensory experience.

Back in the Hollywood Pictures Backlot, we rode the Tower of Terror again and tried out the new Monsters Inc. attraction. We also saw the phenomenal Aladdin musical. During our three days at Disney, we could barely walk through a turnstile or pay for a souvenir without being asked if we'd seen it yet, so we felt obligated to endure the long lines for this show. And yes, it was worth it!

The genie was hilarious with plenty of pop culture references, and the special effects (the parade, the flying carpet) were impressive.

Before leaving we caught the Electrical Parade, which used to be a staple of the Magic Kingdom. It was pretty funky with all the lights! By that time, we were pretty tired, and I still had a long drive in front of me. We took a few more pictures of Paradise Pier before calling it a night:

And that was the end of our third and final day at Disneyland and California Adventure. :(

Now it's time to say goodbye

To all our company.

M-I-C (See you real soon!)

K-E-Y (Why? Because we like you!)

M-O-U-S-E!!!

P.S. Because he knew we'd be getting back to San Diego pretty late, B planned to spend Friday night with a colleague he'd met online. It worked out great! B and a couple of guys ended up eating dinner together and then hanging out in their hotel room talking about the convention and other things they have in common. It was probably close to 1 a.m. by the time the kids and I made it to their hotel to pick B up, so I was glad to know he was in such good company!

2,996.

On Sept. 11, I will be honoring Deepa K. Pakkala, 31, who was killed at the World Trade Center.



As the 2996 site says, "Bloggers honor the innocent victims of that awful day..." If you have a blog, you can go to the 2996 website to sign up. (If you don't have a blog, here's a good excuse to start one!)

Vacation recap, Day 7.

Thursday, July 20

San Diego! When we were "California dreamin'" way back in March, B mentioned that the San Diego Comic-Con would be honoring The Flash's 50th anniversary this year. B has collected Flash items for a LONG time and has forever been a big fan of the Scarlet Speedster. I did the math and figured we could easily add a side trip to San Diego if we went to Los Angeles. Besides, B had always wanted to attend the Comic-Con, THE convention for fans of comics, sci-fi and other media. Because of his writing gigs for Comics Buyers Guide and other publications, along with his past experience as a comics retailer (he used to co-own a comics shop), he was long overdue a trip to the Comic-Con.

Originally we planned for the kids and I to see the sights on our own for two of the three days we would be in San Diego. As the convention schedule was published, however, we realized that B wouldn't want to miss any of the Comic-Con! It was crazy, really, how many of B's favorites were celebrated in those three days: Flash, Forbidden Planet, Universal Monsters, and on and on. It was a good year for him to go!

So for me and the kids, here's what we saw of the San Diego Comic-Con:

We picked this spot for our shuttle stop because it's near the door where B initially picked up his press pass. For three days, we dropped him off at the Convention Center and picked him up much later. The kids and I had plenty of adventures, and at the same time, B was making some incredible memories. I'll post some of his pictures later.

While B got his first taste of the famous Comic-Con, we headed to Mission Bay to see the famous Sea World! We went to San Antonio's version a few years ago, but this one had different scenery.

We were able to see several attractions right away. The shark encounter was fascinating, and not just for R, the world's biggest Jaws fan. K and I enjoyed seeing the sharks all around us as we descended into the exhibit. The Haunted Lighthouse, a 3-D movie, was just as much fun as we'd remembered from San Antonio. During the day, we also saw a friendly snake and these starfish that the kids could touch:

We saw plenty of shows, including the sea lion, walrus and otter show:

the dolphins:

and of course, Shamu!

Naturally, Shamu is the star of this park. The kids' meals even came in Shamu-shaped lunchboxes!

The kids blew off some steam at Shamu's Happy Harbor, a huge play area just for kids:

This Sea World location doesn't have a waterpark like San Antonio, but it does have a different kind of rollercoaster: Journey to Atlantis.

Atlantis begins like a flume ride, but after the big, splashy drop, the boat floats into a dark area and is put on a track. From that point on, it's like a regular rollercoaster.

Except for not being able to find our rental car when it was time to go (SCARY!!!), our day at Sea World was delightful!

Vacation recap, Day 6.

Wednesday, July 19

During our second day at Disneyland, we had another chance to enjoy our favorites from Tuesday. Our first stop was Tomorrowland because we couldn't wait to ride Space Mountain again.

You could say the ride knocked our socks off, but it would be more accurate to say it knocked K's ears off! Before "liftoff," K carefully stowed her Mickey ears in the pouch in front of her seat. When the ride was over, all four of us were too excited to remember to grab her ears! It was disappointing, but we learned a lesson about hanging on to our stuff.

On Wednesday we also took a spin through Autopia, and K was especially pleased with the souvenir driver's license.

After a taste of Tomorrowland, we journeyed into Fantasyland to ride many of the storybook attractions. Of those, Peter Pan's Flight was our favorite.

The scenery in Fantasyland was fantastic, too!

(Can you see Mickey up there on the Matterhorn? We watched him climb to the top to plant a special 50th anniversary flag.)

(Yes, we bought K another set of ears [pirate ones this time] when we bought R's. We couldn't help ourselves!)

We managed to ride the Matterhorn and Splash Mountain again, and we just had to take another spin through Pirates and Haunted Mansion.

Back in Tomorrowland, we ate a late lunch at Pizza Port:

And then the kids got to meet Buzz Lightyear! When he saw their shirts, Buzz was quick to show us a "Hook 'Em"! It was so quick, I didn't even have my camera out yet. Buzz was one of many characters and Disney castmembers who flashed their Horns.

Before leaving the Magic Kingdom, we saw the 50th anniversary retrospective, which gave us an interesting look at the park's history. Since B wouldn't be with us for our third day at Disney later in the vacation, he got a good last look at Disneyland before we made our way to California Adventure.

Once inside California Adventure, we were amazed to see SPACE! It wasn't nearly as crowded as Disneyland. After walking under the miniature Golden Gate Bridge, we took it all in. It's all California, from the tile mosaic of California scenes to the California tunes playing on the loudspeakers.

Speaking of the music: Before we left home, I downloaded a bunch of California songs from iTunes. I brought the CD with us, so by Day 6, we had listened to those tracks over and over and over. So when we heard "California Dreamin'" playing over the loudspeakers, we knew every word and could sing along. On our CD, the song right after the Mamas and the Papas' hit is Al Jolson singing "California, Here We Come." Imagine our surprise when the next song to play at California Adventure was that exact same recording! The song may not be rare, but the Al Jolson version? Really?

Our first area to visit was the Hollywood Pictures Backlot. It was a little disorienting to head down a street and only then realize that it ended much sooner than we thought, thanks to a painted backdrop.

Our first destination was the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. The ride, with its crazy elevator that dropped us several times, was made even better thanks to the Rod Serling intro video and the creepy bellhops who greeted us.

After that we saw Muppet*Vision 3D, which was a kick for us Muppet fans.

Across the park we found Paradise Pier, which had the California tunes playing, but this time in merry-go-round style. The highlight of this part of the park was the California Screamin', a phenomenal hypercoaster with a quick start, several good drops, and a loop right through Mickey's head.

Near the coaster was a stand with some yummy softserve ice cream. The ice cream combined with the Screamin' backdrop made this summertime scene:

For the second time during our trip, we had ice cream for supper! Only on vacation!

Before leaving, the kids met Max (from Goofy to the Max), and he, too, gave us a "Hook 'Em."

Because we were driving from Anaheim to San Diego, we tried to leave the park before it got too late. We were exhausted, but SeaWorld, the San Diego Zoo and the Comic-Con were waiting!

Happy birthday, B!

Happy birthday to the amazing father of my children, the man of my dreams.

I love you!

Vacation recap, Day 5.

Tuesday, July 18

We woke up early, did R's factor, loaded up the car and left K&D's house by 5:45 a.m., on our way to the Happiest Place on Earth.



We arrived around 7, bought B's ticket and made use of our early entrance passes. It was great to first see Disneyland not quite so populated as it would be for the rest of our visit.

Anxious to ride something, our first stop was the Astro Orbiters. After that fun raise-and-lower jet ride, we took on Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters. This was perfect for the gamers among us! As we rode, we used the blasters attached to our cars to attack shape targets along the way. At the end of the ride, we could compare our scores. Great fun! But then again, EVERYTHING we did at Disney was great fun!

Before we left home, I had signed up for RideMax, a computer program that helps you plan your day at the park most efficiently, minimizing your wait times. After we hit those two attractions in Tomorrowland, we crossed the park to get on our printed schedule. First stop: Indiana Jones. This ride was pretty rough since we were loaded into jeeps that bounced through Indy's adventures. We had to face snakes, fire, and of course, a giant boulder. Whew! We also rode Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, a mine train-type ride.

From there we made our way to Mickey's Toon Town. Many of the attractions in this area were for kids under 48" tall, but our main reason for going was this: Mickey's House!

Yep! We got to meet Mickey! We also toured his house, which provided a nice, air-conditioned break after waiting a bit to see the Big Mouse. Down the street from Mickey's house was Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin, another spinning ride.

We knew we wanted to ride Splash Mountain later in the day, so I headed there to collect our Fastpasses. Fastpasses are amazing little tickets that make the day so much more pleasant! And unlike other parks that charge a premium for front-of-line passes, Disneyland allows anyone with a ticket to use Fastpasses. When I arrived at the Fastpass distribution area around 9:45, a sign let me know that a Fastpass would allow us to return between 11:30-12:30 that day. That ended up working perfectly! By the time we returned to use the Fastpass, the wait for Splash Mountain would've taken us 50 or more minutes. With our Fastpasses, we just waltzed up a separate line and walked right up to the ride.

Anyway, that morning we also toured the Haunted Mansion, which was one of my favorite attractions.

Because of the short wait and the cool spooks (and AC), it was a perfect stop for us.

Since we were there in New Orleans Square, we ate lunch at the French Market. I was especially impressed with the kids' meals served in Mickey plates.

After lunch it was time to use our Splash Mountain Fastpasses and zoom to the front of the line. This flume ride took us through the story of Brer Rabbit (from Song of the South). When Brer Rabbit says, "Please don't throw me into that briar patch," you'd better hang on!

A great hat shop is right next door to Splash Mountain, so K bought her first (but not her last) Mickey ears.

Splash Mountain didn't soak us as much as we'd hoped, but we did get cooled off enough to prepare us for one of the longest waits of the day: Pirates of the Caribbean. Pirates had been closed while new features from the movies were added, so even Disney vets were itching to see this attraction. Even though the line seemed to go on forever, it moved quickly. Some purists may not like the Jack Sparrow additions, but we gave the experience four thumbs up.

Before leaving that side of the park, we boarded the Mark Twain steamboat for a leisurely circle of Tom Sawyer Island.

After that, it was time for the 50th anniversary Parade of Dreams. Nobody throws a parade like Disney!

Even though it was only about 2:30 in the afternoon, we had worked our way through almost all of that day's scheduled activities on our print-out. That meant we were free to venture back to Tomorrowland and try more rides like Star Tours, Buzz Lightyear (again), and Honey, I Shrunk the Audience. Then we took on our favorite ride in Tomorrowland: Space Mountain!

We loved this roller coaster! It's been improved since I rode it in '78, and we agreed that all coasters should come with theme music. Having a speaker right next to our heads to pipe in appropriate music made the ride that much better.

Before day was done, we rode the Matterhorn Bobsleds. Back in the day ('78), I used my E-ticket on Space Mountain, which means I didn't get to ride this attraction, much to my disappointment. It was great to finally get to try it!

We also stayed long enough in Fantasyland to ride the Carrousel (even though I still don't know why it has two R's in the name), the famous teacups, and It's a Small World. We also had a decent spot to see the amazing fireworks show, complete with Tinkerbell flying overhead.

By the time we left the park and found our hotel (which, thanks to construction, had no parking available), we were pooped!