Hello Everyone!

Spring Break season is still in full swing around the parks with good size crowds on Friday. The weather was mild reaching mid 60s but cloudy and with a slight breeze at times, not great for spring break travelers looking for warmth but ok for a pleasant visit. Wait times were on the longer side but still not crazy. Most of the usual suspects were around an hour with some like Rise or Railway spiking over that.

Thoughts and Observations:

• My day started off on a positive note, I decided to stay on Disneyland drive and not use the by pass and hit a green light, did not even have to slow down. But my luck ended quickly as I made the turn into the parking structure and traffic was backed up almost to the entrance. It took me over 20 minutes from that point to inch through the tollbooth then up to a floor and into a spot in the Pixar Pals Garage. They only had one lane open to reach parking spots on the level so everything was twice as slow. I even drew a bad spot, second from the end of the row.. so a long hike to the stairs/escalator.
• Security and the trams had no waits nor did entry into Disney California Adventure. I moved back and forth between the parks a number of times and never encountered any substantial delays.
• Stopped by the Pacific Wharf to grab a bite to eat and check out the San Fransokyo Square construction. Graphics are being applied to the buildings and the bridge repainting looks completed and ready for the new towers. No visible progress on the rest of the project. It is interesting the walls on the bridge are all down now.
• In Avengers Campus a small section of the Avengers Headquarters has been walled off. This is in preparation for a gift shop moving into the building. I was expecting this project to be using the main front doors but the current work is toward the back on the side facing the Dr. Strange area/Cars Land.
• Over at Disneyland the floral Minnie Mouse is gone, I thought she was there for the full month of March, guess not. Mickey has returned.
• Mickey's Toontown was just as busy as last week. So the crowds just keep coming and staying. As we moved around the land there were people everywhere. Kids seemed to be having a great time and enjoying all the offerings at Goofy's. The food lines were backed up and making the center part of the land even more crowded. Strollers seem to be the operational challenge. Cast members were asking guests to park them in Fantasyland by the theater and along the walkway. The parking in the land by Car Toon spin was using the valet/building and the grass was blocked so half could be parking. Everywhere in the land there seemed to be stroller still making it feel even more crowded.
• I had missed seeing Pete last week and had great timing this week. As I was walking around he was too. He was making the rounds walking the circle in the neighborhood waving and stopping occasionally for photos with people.
• The CenTOONial part is already starting to show ware. Paint was literally peeling off the several lam posts and the roots people play on. Add in the trip hazard that is blocked by benches near the Dreaming Tree and seems this area of the land may need some renovation rather soon.
• Magic Happens stepped off a few minutes late and was missing Moana for the 3:30 parade. The float still traveled the route, just no one on it.
• I wanted to go for a Monorail ride to check out the Downtown Disney project and to see the Floral Minnie Mouse... but Minnie was gone already and when I first arrived the Monorail was not running either. As the sun was setting Monorail blue was on the beam but I did not see any others. I missed it as I walked into Tomorrowland and it was going to be dark by the time it returned and I could board so I was unable to ride again this visit.
• In the evening when I visited Donald's boat was not as busy and I was able to get a much better view of the porthole scenes. They are really well done and much easier to see after sunset with no glare.
• The Pixar Pals Dance Party in Tomorrowland has had some operational changes, not sure if they are by design or because of an issue. Friday there was no host/DJ. Instead the characters were just there. Most were up on the stage as they have been the last couple years but I did see Jessie down in the crowd dancing like they used to.
• I picked up a virtual queue space for World of Color - One and my plan was to close out my evening with the show. I arrived about 20 minutes before show time and saw a length line to get scanned it. Thought it was odd there were two cast members scanning and a long line for one and no one going to the other. So followed a group up to the one that had no one, scanned my pass and was in with no wait. The cast member kept calling for others from the line but no one was leaving the line.
• I have seen World of Color - One a couple times now and I am still not a fan of the show. The pacing seems off to me and the show just does not engage me. The theme song just does not work for me either. The projections Friday were not nearly as clear as previous viewings either. The audio seemed a little off too, maybe too loud? Almost cross talk from the zones/speakers where I was standing. From a technical perspective the show is very well done though with some great effects and utilization of the infrastructure.
• After the show I joined the crowd leaving and as I entered the Esplanade and started to make the left hand turn to the trams I noticed the Fantasmic finale fireworks going off. There was no line to enter Disneyland either. I decided to call an audible and head Disneyland to see how the Main Street crowd looked. There was plenty of space and I found a spot on Main Street with a couple minutes to spare before the lights went out for Wondrous Journeys.
• Seeing the two shows back to back really solidified by World of Color impression. Wondrous Journeys was more enjoyable to me.
• After the show I joined the crowd leaving the park and had great tram luck. I walked up and was able to walk right onto a tram. Of course the tram gave us the scenic tour of the parking structure stops traveling all the way around to the furthest stop inside the building.
  

Here are some recent posts to the Geek's Blog:

• Disneyland Resort Posts from 3/31
  • Pictures: Pacific Wharf to San Fransokyo Square Construction @ Disney California Adventure (3/31/23)
  • Pictures: Avengers Headquarters Construction Walls for Future Gift Shop
  • Pictures: Checking in On Mickey’s Toontown @ Disneyland
  • Photo & Video: Phat Cat Swinger Time at Disney California Adventure
  • Pictures & Video: A twilight visit to Mickey’s Toontown including Donald’s Boat Portholes
• Disneyland Resort Posts from 3/24
• 03/18/23 - Pictures: Pt Mugu Airshow Featuring Blue Angels & Thunderbirds
• Disneyland Resort Posts from 3/17
  • Pictures: Eggstravaganza 2023 @ Disney California Adventure
  • Pictures: Eggstravaganza 2023 @ Disneyland
  • Pictures: Eggstravaganza 2023 @ Downtown Disney

Disney Related Press Releases

• 03/30/23 - Disney Treasure Keel Laying (Disney Photos)
• 03/30/23 - Disney Vacation Club to Open First-Ever Member Lounge at Disneyland Resort on April 19
• 03/30/23 - Shanghai Disney Resort Brings New and Iconic Offerings to the Spring Season and Beyond
• 03/29/23 - Disney Cruise Line and Singapore Tourism Board to Bring Magical Cruise Vacations to Southeast Asia
• 03/29/23 - Disney’s Coming-Of-Age Sci-Fi Adventure “Crater” To Debut Exclusively On Disney+ May 12
• 03/28/23 - Pixar Debuts Elemental Trailer and Announces Voice Cast
• 03/27/23 - Disney+, Disney Junior, And Lucasfilm Release Sneak Peek Animated Shorts And Key Art For “Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures”

Be sure to check out the picture update that goes with this Geekspeak column, it can be found in our Disneyland Resort Pictorial Update section

Trip logs and mileage reports are in the Park Miles section.

Send comments, questions, any other email to: disneygeek@disneygeek.com