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Visit Date: 3/30/17
Steps: 28,159
Parks Miles: 10.6
Time in Parks: 15

 
Trip Log:

Arrived at the Disneyland Resort just before 7am and was directed into a space in the Pinocchio parking lot. Took a quick look at the Star Wars Construction from the Mickey and Friends parking structure but thanks to the sun it was partially obstructed. Then walked through security and waited for a tram. Got in line to enter Disney California Adventure around 7:30am and met up with the rest of my group. At 7:45 they opened the gates. The others headed for Soarin which was open already and I waited with the masses for Radiator Springs Racers FastPasses. At 8am the park opened and I walked with the mob and got into the Racers FastPass queue. Picked up our tickets then walked around to the Bay area to pick up World of Color. I hung around the entrance to Paradise Pier waiting for the Soarin group then we all walked out to Toy Story Midway Mania! Waited about 10 minutes. Next up walked onto the Fun Wheel for a spin. Then continued around and walked onto the Little Mermaid. Strolled through the Wharf and into Cars Land. Used our Radiator Springs Racers FastPass then went for a dance with Luigis cousins. Walked up Route 66 then stopped by Ghirardelli and the Bakery Tour. Walked down the parade route and through Bugs Land to Sunset Blvd. Stopped by Monsters Inc which had only a couple minute wait then made our way to Carthay Circle for the 10:30 Red Car News Boys performance. After their show walked through the Food and Wine Festival ending up in Paradise Gardens. Some at at Boardwalk Pizza and Pasta, I grabbed a corn dog. After eating walked back down the parade route, through Fliks and to Hollywood Land to get in line for the 12:30 Frozen performance. After the show took Hollywood Blvd to Buena Vista Street. The rest of the group headed for Star Bucks in Downtown Disney and I made my way to Disneyland. Strolled up Main Street USA and around the hub. Stopped by the end of the Big Thunder Trail to check out the Star Wars construction then walked around the Rivers of America to Critter Country to do the same. The others met me at the Haunted Mansion FastPass distribution. We then walked through New Orleans Square and Adventureland on our way to Fantasyland. Stopped by Sleeping Beauty Castle and visited the walkthrough then strolled through Fantasyland and around the Matterhorn to Tomorrowland. Walked through Star Traders then over to pick up a FastPass for Star Tours. Returned to the Haunted Mansion and used our FastPasses then headed out to the Hungry Bear for something to eat. After eating returned to Main Street and watched the Disneyland Band and Soundsational. After the parade the others did some shopping and I went to pick up Buzz Lightyear FastPasses then joined them in Town Square for the Flag Retreat. After the ceremony walked up Main Street and into Tomorrowland to use our Buzz FastPasses and then walked out the Small World Mall and through Fantasyland. Decided to go for a cruise through the Jungle. The App said 30 min wait, the posted sign said 25 but it looked short. It turned out to be a 5 minute wait. The others were hungry so stopped by Bengal BBQ and they ate, I walked through the Tree House. Then we all met at Pirates. About a 15 minute wait only. After Pirates returned to Tomorrowland and used our Star Tours FastPasses then walked through the crowds on Main Street on our way to Disney California Adventure. Strolled up Buena Vista Street and the parade route and took a left onto Route 66. Walked through Cars Land and took Cross Street to the Wharf then out to Paradise Pier to use our World of Color FastPasses. After the show joined the mass of guests leaving the park. The others returned to Disneyland just in time to catch the delayed fireworks and then the Main Street Electrical Parade. I opted to head for the trams and back to find my car and head home.

Other Interesting Stats:
* Moderate Walking Stats (meaning over 2.5mph): 20,529 steps, 181 minutes.


For Comparisons to other trips or more park miles click here to visit our park Miles Section.

Note: These totals may be skewed because the pedometer is zero'd when we start and then left alone and read when we leave. So attractions, and other things may cause extra "steps" to be counted. The pedometer that we use basically measures up/down motion as a step, so if your standing in line and moving up and down it may be counting steps, etc.. so the total distances traveled and steps may be off.. so use these as rough distance comparisons between trips and they may not be accurate in terms of actual distance traveled.
Pictures & Video From this Trip:


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My Thoughts & Observations:

Hello everyone,

I spent a long day at the Disneyland Resort on a rare non-holiday Thursday to play tour guide for some relatives. I arrived at the parking structure just before 7am and returned to the I-5 about 10pm. The parks both had spring break crowds meaning for mid week it felt crowded and the wait times peaked at well over an hour for many attractions in the afternoon. Even with the large crowd the combination of starting at rope drop, FastPass and some good timing we managed to visit everything on their list and then some at a fairly relaxing pace.

Thoughts and Observations:

  • As I arrived at the Mickey and Friends parking structure I was unsure what to expect for the day. It was early, before 7am and the sun was just rising. There were no delays or lines and I was quickly directed into a spot out in the Pinocchio lot. They had started filling the surface lot before the structure for regular parking. Preferred parking was being directed to the 5th floor of the structure. Having to walk from the structure around the tram route, through the structure to cross is not very convenient nor a nice first impression of the Disneyland Resort. It is too bad they did not come up with a better way to cross the tram route. Maybe someday there will be a more permanent solution.

  • Seeing the Star Wars construction site as the sun was rising was a different view for me. It made taking pictures and getting detail a challenge. Scanning across the site it appeared to be incremental progress from the parking structure vantage point with no major changes this week. Later in the afternoon I took a look from inside the park and the big changes occurred in Critter Country. The back section of riverbed and shoreline had been poured. Also new walls set up as they prepare to open a section of the new walkway so you can reach the lower level of the Hungry Bear from the main walkway and the temporary access can be removed. Also this change should bring in some light down there so you will not be eating in the dark environment all day.

  • Decided to start my day at Disney California Adventure. Buena Vista Street and the airfield opened about 20 minutes before rope drop. Most guests gathered waiting to enter, but some explored Buena Vista Street and others Soarin which had opened early too (but at reduced capacity for some reason). I thought the opening was a little chaotic. I do not understand why they did not start the queue for Racers FastPasses like they used to, instead they now let the mass go and try and funnel into the FastPass queue. For a long time they would start the line before rope drop so it was orderly and you knew what was going on.

  • Speaking of FastPasses no sign yet of when they may be starting out at Toy Story. Everything looks in place. The wait time sign was not working when we visited though.

  • I went to the first Frozen showing of the day (there are only three). The show still ran over an hour but it moved quicker than past showings. It has been a while and they have cut down the show a bit. Also no hiccups/stoppage this time.

  • Was surprised to see the Magical Map was dark Tues, Wed & Thurs this week. With the larger crowds I was expecting it to be running every day.

  • The Red Rose Taverne had a line stretching out to the main walkway. I took a quick look inside and noticed almost half the registers were not in use, this was leading to the backup. There were plenty of seats and it was not crowded inside.

  • The Jungle Cruise wait times were way off in the early evening. The app said 30 minutes and the posted sign 25 when we got in line. Most of the down stairs queue was not in use and we walked up stairs, circled around, then back down. It took less than 5 minutes. I like when the estimate is off in a favorable way but this was way off.

  • As the evening went on the park felt more crowded, but wait times faded a bit for some attractions. The walkways, especially at Disneyland, became very crowded as usual. At 8pm, 30 minutes before the parade, the now normal announcement saying all viewing areas are full was played.

  • While waiting to exit the Pinocchio Parking lot I had time to think.. I do not understand you are not direct you back through the structure to exit, and actively block/discouraged from doing so. Having to exit out to Magic Way and Disneyland Drive into the surface street traffic is not a pleasant way to end your evening. Now with all guests walking coming from Downtown Disney there is a near constant stream of tired guests crossing the street and parking lot. This makes it a bit of a challenge to get out of the parking area.

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

Geek's Blog Postings Recap – March 1-20, 2017

Disney Related Press Releases

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
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