* After you read this report you may want to check out the pictorial updates in our Disneyland Resort Pictorial Update section

Hello all,

Friday was a rare off-season day. I say rare because over the past couple of years I can remember very few Fridays where the crowds were that light and the weather that good. As you saw in the pictorial update the parks are taking a breather in terms of rehabs, projects, and other happenings. I expect the crowds to start ramping up again the end of the month when the Halloweentime season begins and then its right into the Holidays.

Jason

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

Disneyland & DCA Thoughts and Observations:

• Wait times at both parks were very mild with many attractions being walkons most of the afternoon. As the evening approached lines grew a bit. For example Soarin was posted at 10 minutes but I walked right on, there were only two people in front of me going down the Standby queue. GRR had a 5 minute posted wait time. The Screamin was about 10 minutes and only three trains were running from the looks of it. Over at Disneyland almost everything was under 20 minutes most of the afternoon except for Nemo which was 45-60 minutes.
  
  
  
• Seems Disney was expecting the light crowds and there was very little in terms of entertainment scheduled. No bands at the Tomorrowland Terrace and no Fantasmic either.
  
  
  
• I was invited up to the pilot house on the Mark Twain, a first for me, and it was a great panoramic view of the park. The pictures really do not do it justice. I really enjoyed the experience and chatting with the cast member. I could not get many good pictures of the stateroom and pilot house itself as I had the wrong lens on my camera and I was too busy soaking it in to get pictures. Once you enter the doorway you step into a small stateroom. There is a bed on the far wall directly in front of you, another door to the right and a door in the back left corner. In the front left corner (directly to your left when you enter) is a ladder leading up to the pilot house. On the walls of the stateroom are some old photos of Walt and the Mark Twain. Once up in the pilot house the area is relatively small. The left hand side has the ride control buttons (for the spiel, the lights, and the bells for the engine room operation). In the middle is the giant wheel and then on the right are two pull cords, one for the bell and one for the whistle. Behind you are is a notebook to register your trip on a small stand/table and behind that are windows to look out the back.
  
  
  
• Since Nemo had a posted time of 60 minutes I decided to give it a try. They only had seven subs running and the wait ended up being about 45 minutes. I wonder if there is any talk of a single rider line, that would be nice and it seems doable with the slow load speeds. Our journey was extended for an extra 5 minutes or so as we had to wait for a sub up ahead that had an issue with a guest wanting off. Seems the closed in space still bothers people. Seems to me if there was more air blowing inside the sub it would help with this. While waiting the back hatch of the sub I was on was under the waterfall and it developed a small, but steady, stream of water coming in, guess the new seals are not that strong.
  
  
  
• I went for a ride on Pirates and had the front row to myself, which I took because I Wanted the extra legroom, but I got quite wet on the second drop. The first one was not too bad, but the second hit me straight on. It appears they tweaked the projection effect in the cave. The screen no longer stretches all the way to the water, it stops above the boat and there seemed to be more air blowing it downstream vs. letting the midst(screen) linger. The projection of Davy Jones looked a little brighter to me too, but maybe it was just an illusion.
  
  
  
• Around 8pm I stopped by the Opera house and the A/C inside was cranked up and it was freezing.. so if your ever looking for a cool spot give it a try and see how it is. Wonder how long before Mr. Lincoln will be back... if he will ever come back. I have read a lot of rumors but nothing concrete yet.

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