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

Well it was Friday the 13th, so what better way to spend the afternoon/evening than at the Disneyland resort. We arrived at the Disneyland resort a bit latter than usual and found a much more crowded parking structure than we expected. I don't want to rant everytime about the garage situation, but again it was ridiculous. Not only were we stuck on the roof in the last row and the last couple of spots but it literally took 10 minutes from when we started up the ramp until I was able to turn off the car. The CMs were having difficulty directing cars to the end of the aisle then to make the immediate U-Turn to the next aisle and park in the last few spots. Again I have to ask, why did they re-stripe the garage a few months after opening to the current configuration? It seems to have caused more problems than it solved.

Trip logs and mileage reports are in thePark Miles section.

Disneyland:

• We first headed to Disneyland. The park felt alive, but not overly crowded. Most attractions seemed to have under a 30 minutes wait.

• There is still a lot of work going on around Disneyland. Starting on Main Street with City Hall, stretching through Adventureland and Indy and round Big Thunder, through Fantasyland with Pinochio and the Theater, then Tomorrowland with the resurfacing.

• We caught the Mark Twain being pulled back into drydock. Seems they were testing it or something becuase it was out on the River. No guests on board though.

• We still have been unable to ride a segway. There were no CMs in the area on our brief stop, so still no clue what the schedule is... someday I need to remember to ask outside to save the trip inside...

• Speaking of Innoventions I thought it was annoying that I could not hear the spiel because the music from Club Buzz was sooo loud.. wonder why they don't load from the other side (speaking of which I have never seen that load area used, has anyone??

• As for Club Buzz, I was glad to see a band performing, but kept wondering to myself what ever happened to the family friendly Bands like Barrage or the Fab 4?

DCA:

• I wish I would have gotten to spend more time at DCA during the daylight hours to get shots, but that just did not happen this trip... the crowds in DCA seemed average at best.
  
  
• There was a healthy crowd that showed up for the Tower of Terror sign lighting.
  
  
• First off a logistical note about the lighting. Wonder why they did not cancel or change the schedule of Aladdin. It let out right before and the next show started immediately after the lighting. It really increased the traffic jam in the area and probably led to some extra guest complaints that were not necessary.
  
  
• Also I thought the set up for the lighting was extremely on the cheap and not that well planned out. It was set up as a press event for sure and the average guests (which includes us) were out of luck. If you were not one of the first people and able to get infront of the media platform you were out of luck and stuck craining over and around guests trying to get a clear shot or view of the stage.
  
  
• I think it would have been much easier to view and more impressive if they would have opened up the street in front of the Tower or something. The small alley on the backlot everyone was crammed into seemed too small for the event. All though it did make the crowd seem larger than it was.
  
• Gallagher was funny, but I thought he tired a bit and they drew out the "screams" too long. Everyone knew where it was heading after the first or second failed attempt, and it just kept on going.
  
• The sign itelf lit with a great display of fireworks and it looked good. Wish they would have opened the shafts and had something (or someone, like a character), on the attraction.

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