Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 For one of my top minions, some quick hits from DL ... leaving out the merchandise as I hit on that in another thread (actually a rant because I WANT TO GIVE DISNEY MY MONEY!!!) Now, all of this is based on about 4.5 hours at DL, and four hours combined at DCA and DD. DL has its cast parties Monday and Tuesday, so that means 6 p.m. hard closes. There was a time WDW did these too. No more. But CMs can get discounted tix to MVMCP on selected nights ;-) I'm not at all thrilled with the lighting on SBC ... in the daylight it looks terrible ... really bad ... and incomplete. At night, it doesn't look very good up close either. From a distance it does. Park was PACKED Sunday night for the Candlelight Processional ... they still do it on Main Street where it belongs (unlike Florida), but now have those dining plans in order to actually get within three miles of seeing it! I guess the crowds were there just for that because in my four hours I rode Mansion Holiday, Splash Mountain twice, Space Mountain, Buzz Lightyear, the Nemo Sub Voyage and took two trips on the monorail. Both mountains were WALK-ONS, including Splash at 8 p.m. (the temp was likely around 55 and Californians are such wimps ... really, I could have sat in that log and ridden all night if I wanted). Sorry, Greg, Space at DL just puts the MK version to shame in every aspect. But the queue is showing signs of neglect ... heck, T-Land has some major issues with the pavers coming up and there were a few small potholes (not good, Ed). Fireworks were canceled due to high winds (as frequently happens at DL and no one dies, unlike Florida where a fireworks cancelation would result in Disney refunding $343,231.43 worth of magical WDW vacations!) Enjoyed Nemo more the second time around and it is great to see that lagoon filled, especially at night above from the monorails. Those kinetics are so missing at WDW. I still don't feel Nemo was worth what WDI wound up spending, however. But it was the only significant wait I had (30 minutes at 11:20 p.m.) Main Steet ... actually, the whole park looked great in its holiday finery. Small World's facade is just so important to the attraction, IMHO, and is what makes the MK version less than all the others. With the lighting on at night and the holiday projections every 15 minutes, it's a show without ever dragging your 345 pounds into a boat and trapping everyone behind you. Maybe it was my timing but DCA just felt great to me. The decorations, the lack of that ridiculous musical loop that's been playing since 2001 (shouldn't that come on a CD, come to think of it). The park was quite crowded since DL was closed early. There was a very nice holiday vibe going on ... the heroin monkey is actually quite a nice park (flawed though it may be) ... I've also come to the conclusion that the entryway money is money well-spent. No Disney park, even DSP, has a less impressive entry ... I was reminded of this when someone actually said (and I overheard) say 'this park feels so much nicer when we come in from the Grand.' I thought it was weird, but then realized it made perfect sense. The transition from GC to Grizzly Peak is so natural and so wonderfully accomplished. The main entrance is a concrete jungle that manages to take one of our national landmarks (the Golden Gate Bridge) and makes it into something small and insignificant. Then you get to look at concrete and neon that dead ends in a fountain area (that for now at least has a Surfer Santa motif). Only did two rides (Screamin and ToT). That coaster is loads of fun and on a cool night with the lights on (although keeping those bulbs lit is becoming a problem again, get some pics AL!) PP feels magical. Yes! And when you see how wonderful Midway Mania is coming, you realize just how great this area is going to look ... Tower is a fun ride, but it does suffer in comparison to Florida's version because there is no setup. And the Tower Gift Shop really is a joke ... Pirates (on sale at 25% off) and Jack Skellington?!??! I'd be remiss if I didn't mention a great tribute/exhibit to Snow White's 70th anniversary at the Animation Building. They have some very old, very valuable artwork on display and the screens now all show Snow White clips (something I've thought they could and should change from time to time.) Both parks were clean. I didn't see any maintainance diasters. T-land was the worst, but it wasn't MK bad. And everywhere I looked I saw sweepers ... heck, at 11:30 at night there was one picking small piece of trash out of the landscaping near Nemo ... would you ever see that in Florida ... ever? Be honest. I have a few other thoughts ... and I am hoping to meet a friend at DCA ... so there may be more thoughts coming ... maybe we can talk about the hotels (carolers at both GC and DLH lobbies), furniture that needs to be thrown out etc ... but we can leave that ... along with talk about how alive and vibrant DD feels (every restaurant except ESPN Zone, which I didn't see had lines to get in tonight) at a later point. Hopefully, this will tide MPierce over ... I have a DCA merchandising mid-level manager I really want to stalk! You all have a magical Tuesday! (and I mean that in the good way)
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Sounds great Spirit. Looking forward to our stay at the Grand in March. Hopefully it will restore my faith in Disney parks.
Originally Posted By MPierce Thanks a lot Spirit. That ought to hold me over until you get time to post the rest. I was worried your report might end up over in the DL section so thanks for answering my request. Sounds like you had a great time. Christmas time at DL has to feel special.
Originally Posted By jkayjs My son wanted me to find pics for the slide show when he gets married next year. I found a wonderful shot of the Christmas tree @ DL and all the surrounding decorations. The year? 1977. It was the 1st time we were there with the holiday decorations. I honestly remember tearing up as it was beautiful. Thanks for the report Spirit.
Originally Posted By cmash95 thanks for the update. I have gone to dca twice and enjoyed it both times. there really is so much potential in that park if bean counters stay away. I agree with the comments on the enterance. so much better if you can get in through grand californian gate. I hope by 2010 they get things right. I personally would love to see a name change as well. call it Walt Disney's Calfornia Adventure, that would tie in the new enterance as well as the victorian feel of PP and the 1920's feel of holywood area. just my opinion of course.
Originally Posted By jkayjs <<call it Walt Disney's Calfornia Adventure>> I like the sound of that. It makes it sound more personal like you would be right @ home.
Originally Posted By jonvn I think if we work hard enough at it, we could come up with an even longer name. "Walter Elias Disney's California Adventure, Featuring the Life of Walt Disney as He First Came to the State." I think that'd be a good name.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros But of course you would have to add at least 2 or 3 sponsor titles or a phrase after a colon on to the end of that so it would have a chance of competing with the overly lengthy titles that have been created through the years like Monsters Inc: Mike and Sulley to the Rescue, Expedition Everest: Journey to the Forbidden Mountain, The Walt Disney Story Featuring Great Moments with Mr Lincoln, Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters based on Disney/Pixar's Toy Story 2, The Mine Train Through Nature's Wonderland, or The American Space Experience: Celebrating 40 Years of NASA.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<I found a wonderful shot of the Christmas tree @ DL and all the surrounding decorations. The year? 1977. It was the 1st time we were there with the holiday decorations. I honestly remember tearing up as it was beautiful.>> The tree is absolutely beautiful this year, as in every year. Also, it is the only REAL tree in any of the Disney parks. The others are artificial. <<Thanks for the report Spirit.>> Not much of a report, but you're welcome.
Originally Posted By figment1986 <<Yeah really. No 210 pics. >> Everyone knows a spirit doesnt want to take photos... it feels to much like work for him, and he has minions and friends who can capture the item for him later anyway.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 I feel like carrying a camera around makes being at the parks work. I go to the parks to get away from work. It's very easy to throw together some sentences online, but to take photos of everything I like or dislike, upload them, put captions on them ... well, that's work. It isn't for me. And there are plenty of folks who do so for a living (or so it would seem).
Originally Posted By figment1986 <<I feel like carrying a camera around makes being at the parks work.>> not to me.. its post production and everything else thats work...
