Disney World After A Decade Away: Day Seven - Disney's Hollywood Studios

The dreaded last day of vacation, and when that last day is at Walt Disney World after a decade away, it feels even more sobering. Why? Going to Walt Disney World anyway you shape it is one expensive vacation. Big bucks, so you want to get as much out of it as possible. 

Sure, I'll follow this up with another post on some cost saving ideas, but it is still going to take a significant outlay of hard earned cash to make even the most frugal trip happen. Totally First World problems, right? 

We had only a few precious hours before we had to be checking in for our flight at Orlando International Airport, so what better place to spend it than going to Disney's true half day park, the remnant known as Disney's Hollywood Studios. We were at the gates at opening to make the most of it. 

                           

Be gone, Big Hat!

Walking into the park was a mixed bag. I love seeing the Chinese Theater again. It's about time that Big Ole Hat (this is a family site, after all, or I'd say BAH) was gone. Now, you can once again see what the Imagineers had in mind- Hollywood in its glory days. Then, I began noticing how faded the building were, how poorly they were maintained and how the street itself had so little shade or tree cover. There was no Red Car Trolley to found be as in the rebuilt California Adventure. That addition gives the park kinetic energy and life. 

                          

Sid's is always a fun stop- when you have more time.

How different this park felt than when I first visited at opening! I'd estimate 90% of the park is gone or at least drastically changed. (Wanna check out the history of this fascinating little park? Take a look at this lengthy post sharing concept art, my vintage photos, and more. 25 Years of Change!)

                          

OK- Mickey does belong in the park

but not at the expense of the Great Movie Ride!

The majestic but lovely Chinese Theater is a fitting "castle" for the park. It was perfectly cast in its role, looking great from a distance and wonderful up close. The detail is strong, setting the mood for adventures to come. The hat is gone, but the stage needs to disappear as well. Perhaps in the future that is something in the planning. 

At this point in time, we only had a few hours, so we had to plan our Fast Passes well. This meant Rock n Rollercoaster followed by a hopefully quick queue for the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. Our other choice was Star Tours, as it is a favorite of my grandson, and I wanted to make sure he didn't miss out due to our limited hours. 

                               

Only the music headbangs here.

Since the coaster height limit was too much for the kids, we split our party, and they used a golden ticket for Toy Story Midway Mania later in the morning. Big hint here- it was about four days prior to our departure that I was able to snag Fast Passes for the beloved Toy Story ride. It had been sold out the entire planning period. Always check at the last minute! You never know what becomes available if you time it right.

Time for a new act.

Continuing our three hour tour (a three hour tour). Do you get the reference? If not, do a little research.) The weather wasn't getting rough, but it was already pretty hot and humid. No matter, we hit the hub, the plaza, whatever they call it here and took a quick look at the theater, future home of Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway, the replacement for the epic original, The Great Movie Ride. (Why Oh Why?)

                  

Gertie and Indy make quite a pair.

This is where the charm of the park kicked in, almost making me forget there is just so little left of the place. It's a beautiful area, filled with the quirkiness of Old Hollywood without the shady, seedy side you find today. 

While some of our crew got a little breakfast and a drink, my daughter and I jumped on a limo to get to the Aerosmith concert in time. The nighttime sky wasn't as darkened as I remembered, but the ride was as smooth and thrilling as always. Still a winner, even though they desperately need a new band in there. (No, not a Marvel makeover. I said a new band. If you want a ride like that, you have to -unfortunately- head to Epcot in a couple of years.)

Time to anger a few parents. We took the kids on Tower. They seemed a bit apprehensive, but we assured them it would be ok. Let's say even though it really wasn't their favorite, it didn't cause any meltdowns. Man, they are easy to travel with! ("Nice job!" said Grandpa.) 

As for me, this version remains the definitive one. Even without the Fifth Dimension room, everything about it screams Headliner Attraction. The whole approach down Sunset Blvd., the correct placement in the park, the spookiness of the boiler room- and the cars that work like a real elevator- make it top notch. Does Twilight Zone Tower of Terror have a place in a park that will be dominated by Star Wars and Toy Story? Absolutely- but it is time for enhancements and refreshed special effects. Well worth the needed investment however. 

It was amazing how quickly we covered two big "E Ticket" attractions! And how strange that there was so little left to do in the park. With just about a half hour before our reservation for Star Tours, we walked a bit enjoying the scenery. 

                                        

Light speed to Batuu!

Once we arrived at the entrance, the line was still fairly short, so we saved our tickets for a second trip after the first. Smart choice on our part! My granddaughter had never been on the flight. Gotta say, it was pretty sweet to hear her big brother encourage her and give her riding tips before we took off. She loved the journey!

                            

Certainly, we will see him again after this attraction closes.

By the time we walked out, Star Tours had a healthy line, so our plans paid off. Using our Fast Pass, we got in line and happily had an entirely different trip, including a preview of Batuu. Nice touch and a great way to sell a return visit to the Florida park. Appropriate synergy for once.

Pricey but fun.

Should be on its way to Cars Land in revised form!

After the kids fashioned their own light saber, we walked around, and I spotted Sci-Fi Dine In, one of my favorite places in the park. We had not been able to get a reservation earlier, but when I noticed the door was open, I took my son-in-law inside to get a glimpse of what I had told him about. It was absolutely empty with all the lights on. 

Truthfully, I don't think I'll be able to get a reservation next trip either. The park is not prepared for the onslaught of visitors coming when Galaxy's Edge opens up next year. There's a massive and obvious shortage of places to eat, shady spaces, and most of all, attractions to eat up the crowds. When you add in old and tired shows, you can be sure you'll be reading stories of disastrous days at Disney's Hollywood Studios or whatever the new name will be.

If you're not a big show guy, there's not much to do.

From here on out, the park began to show these weaknesses. My son-in-law and I went to find some food, something beyond a Starbucks snack to eat. Although we walked all the way around Echo Lake, not a thing was open, reinforcing my observations made above. 

Bad transition.

Really surprising this is the best they could come up with!

For as much emphasis and effort the suits seem to put into building new restaurants, the results are not so good at the Studios. The Base Line Tap House may have a decent menu and fill the void for beer flights, but little thought seemed to go into the design. The exterior on its own is pretty nice, but next to the Sci-Fi sharing a wall? It's horrible. Adding a mock third story to the Tap House would have created a better visual transition. Yep, the look of Disney Springs is just amazing, but they dropped the ball here.

                                    

No resistance here. 

While we were busy looking for food, the rest of the crew stood in line for some Star Wars themed show/mini-parade. As a long time park fan, I knew this to be filler, but you can tell by the look on this fan's face (above), that as far as he was concerned, this might as well have been a full bore "E Ticket" attraction. I can only imagine how he will feel about Galaxy's Edge IF he can actually get into the land and ride the two attractions. (And what will they do with Star Tours? And will they get rid of Launch Bay?) This is just another reminder that Disney made the right move to buy the franchise and place a full blown land in the park(s). It's the right park for the addition here, but it should have been the centerpiece of a 3rd Disney park in California. 

Coming to a Studios park near you!

For the last attraction of the day, the kids and the ladies went on Toy Story Mania. The guys stayed behind and went into Walt Disney Presents, browsed the exhibits and at the urging of a cast member, posed with an invisible celebrity. It was an odd bit of cast member interaction, bordering between plain old weird and strangely disconcerting. Clearly, the guy loved his job.

A good sport!

As I mentioned in another post, the new Toy Story Land was not yet open. We missed it by two weeks. Oh well, sounds like they'll fix up some of their mistakes before our next visit. 

We left the park right after everyone returned from their last ride. It was still relatively early in the day, and the park was filling up with guests who had chosen to sleep in. For us, it was off to the airport and our trip home.

How would I wrap up our Disney World trip after a decade away? Expensive, fun, and well worth it. Regardless of the constant downgrade in service, the truth is, there's nothing like Walt Disney World as a whole. We just won't go every few years as we used to. 

Disneyland is great for a couple of days, but it's no resort. (I'll go into direct comparisons in another post and how to save money in yet another.)

For all the glitz and glamour, Disney World is also a place with problems that may be fixable if there's a wholesale change in mindset from the suits. If not, expect more of the same tension between what is and what could/should have been. Would I go with my family again? Absolutely! A Disney trip is about family fun and making memories. Sometimes even the harshest critic finds there's tears in his eyes as he takes time to notice the people with him.

(Photographs copyright Mark Taft.)

Disney World After A Decade Away: Day Six- Animal Kingdom

Flight of Passage, Expedition Everest and Festival of the Lion King. These were the top items on our list for our second and final day at Animal Kingdom. 

In many ways, this was the day I was looking forward to the most. We were nearing the end of our trip as the following and last day we would visit the sorely truncated, currently under reconstruction, Disney's Hollywood Studios and its less than sufficient number of attractions. Then, sadly, it was off to the Orlando Airport. 

The size of the floating mountains 

match the size of the crowds.

We had a leisurely morning, letting everyone sleep in after a very long and wonderful day at the Magic Kingdom. Apparently, it just wasn't enough sleep for me.

As we strolled into Pandora to redeem our Fast Passes for Flight of Passage, the crowds were so thick it was almost unsafe. Wasn't too long until we got separated, and trying to find each other was very difficult- and worrisome when you have two little kids with you. 

Most of our crew finally made it to the station at the beginning of the queue, and we expected to do the child swap option as we already knew my granddaughter was about two inches too short to ride. But we couldn't find half of them. And I was just told they could not walk the Fast Pass line with us, instead we would have to split up and take two separate times through to get the five of us all to ride. I was not happy at all, and I made it known. Surveying the swelling crowd to find our other half, I blurted out "This is ridiculous!" It was not my finest moment and a not too subtle reminder that God still has a lot of work left to do in me.

Now for the real rant. Think about this: Disney suits know they are going to have massive crowds for their top drawer stellar projects. Especially when they go into sorely under built parks such as Animal Kingdom and Disney's Hollywood Studios. Why, oh why, then do they stop short and design the area by throwing in one mega "F Ticket" attraction, one with much less in desirability and call it good? Listen- if you think Pandora is a mess to navigate, just wait until Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge opens in one park with so few attractions and in another park with narrow pathways and much smaller acreage. Rant - and warning -over.

Incredible detail wherever you look.

Sharing the bad news with the other half of our group, we split up and entered into the queue. Even with our Fast Passes, it took about 20 minutes to get on the attraction. Compared to the three hour plus wait for those in the Standby line, it was a breeze. 

As we got closer to beginning the ride, my wife was apprehensive, my grandson excited, and I was skeptical. Would the actual ride live up to all the hype about it? Let's be honest, nobody does hype like the Disney publicity machine. 

Surprisingly, the answer is "Yes"!

Pandora's centerpiece Flight of Passage is at once a beautiful, thrilling, and atmospheric attraction. Is it worth the sometimes posted four hour wait? No. Actually, in my mind nothing on the property is- or at any other theme park for that matter. But it is stunning in its scope and scale. There's not a single piece of it I would dissect and redo another way. The Imagineers outdid themselves with this new attraction. Was it due to the demands of James Cameron, the film's creative source? Perhaps. Regardless, Flight of Passage is the new must see on the Disney property for good reason. 

We all loved our flight.  My grandson and I were able to ride twice, and the second flight was just as thrilling and repeatable as the first. Now only if Na'vi River Journey had that same repeatability!

It's new home- where it always belonged.

Escaping the crowds of Pandora, it was time for the Festival of the Lion King, a favorite of my grandkids for two reasons: First, they loved it last visit, and second, they love the animated series based on those characters. I found I preferred Nemo, but there's no denying the performers put their heart and soul into the production.

Still a crowd pleaser!

Our first day at Animal Kingdom had a big disappointment: my favorite Walt Disney World attraction was down for a good portion of the day. Thankfully, today, Expedition: Everest was up and running! 

Even the approach to the attraction is compelling!

My wife and I were the only two in our group that had ridden it. Our granddaughter was too short this trip, so my wife took her for a treat and a bit of shopping while the rest of us rode. (She's a trouper! Not once did she complain about waiting or about being too small to ride.) Our Fast Pass wasn't for about a half an hour, but the line was pretty short, so we decided to go for it and hopefully ride twice.

One of this daughter's all time favorite attractions is Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. (In fact, it's become a family joke to take a picture of it and send it to her when one of us visits the parks and she's not with us. Even family friends have gotten in on the act. Of course, nothing beat the time we sent her one from Disneyland Paris... while she was battling a blizzard back home!) 

Anyway, I've long described Everest to her as "Big Thunder on Steroids". So, she was thrilled to finally ride it for herself, having passed it up last trip to focus on the rides all four of them could do together. 

So, off we went, the two younger men rode together and my daughter and I took the row behind them. I couldn't really see my brave grandsons's face to read how he was doing. I mean, the climb up this mountain is high- and the exposure to the open air makes it seem even higher than it is. And what about that backwards segment? It's very different than watching a video of the ride, something we'd done many, many times prior to the trip, just to see if he was ready. 

A T-shirt from Grandpa commemorating his first ride!

(Her's too- but no T-shirt.)

Needless to say, everyone thought it was a winner! My daughter declared it to be a "serious roller coaster", and she loved the drop down the mountain into the major winding turns around it. As for my grandson, he wanted to ride it again- this time with me. I was very happy to oblige. 

The Maharaja Jungle Trek. A beautiful hidden gem.

We had time for one more attraction before it was necessary to leave the park and make our late afternoon lunch appointment at Disney Springs. We opted for the trail through India to see some bats, tigers, and actually, one of the most beautiful remote spots in all of Animal Kingdom. 

It truly is a shame when I hear folks go to Disney's Animal Kingdom without taking a small segment of time to experience the Jungle Trek or Gorilla Falls nature trail in Africa. These are some of the smaller attractions that take you away from a theme park and out into areas that feel remote. They certainly don't replace the need for larger show stoppers, but they are ones that are so worth the effort to experience. Think of them as the smaller walk through exhibits at Disneyland, adding atmosphere, value, and variety to an already solid line up. If you're an animal lover, these are something worth your time. If you're not but love Disney theme parks for their immersion, then you truly have to experience them to understand what love and care Imagineer Joe Rohde and his team did in bringing the animal world to life. (Want to know more about the amazing story behind Animal Kingdom? Read my seven part - to date- in depth series on the creation and evolution of the place. It's part trip report, photo journey, historical perspective and art gallery just filled with concept art. Part One begins here.)

We ended our time at Animal Kingdom by slowly walking through the lands as we journeyed back to the exit. Our destination: the highly rated Morimotos at Disney Springs, my daughter's pick for a sit down restaurant. As we stayed at the park longer than we intended, a ride in a Minnie Van was well worth the expense. 

Beautifully designed and executed environment!

What can I say about Morimoto's that you haven't already read? The Iron Chef's Disney World location serves up expensive and sumptuous food in an elegant and modern environment with touches of the old world hidden in places you'd least expect. From appetizers to entrees, the place and the plates were a treat for all your senses. Would I dine there again? Absolutely. If I had rated our restaurant choices on food alone, this would be the winner.

I think her name is Bunga.
Her beloved possession- her only souvenir- 
and only available at Animal Kingdom.

The rest of our evening was spent at Disney Springs, walking around and enjoying the wonderful atmosphere. Having taken the water taxis to Old Key West and elsewhere, it dawned on me that part of what makes Disney World so special is the abundance of travel options and resort hotels to visit as well as four very different parks. Cruising along the waterways day or night is just so special! Something you cannot find in California. 

Well, one more day to cover, and that would be our half day at Disney's Half Day park, yes, Hollywood Studios. We'd just miss the opening of Toy Story Land, but I still have an abundance of stories to tell. See you then!

(Photographs copyright Mark Taft.)

Theme Park Commando: Disneyland Resort in One Day- Two Parks, 26 Attractions

The date: July 5, 2018. I had one day to do both parks in California. What could I get out of Disneyland and California Adventure when I had 16 hours total? Would I be able to ride the new / revised attractions I wanted (Pixar Pier and Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout!), check out the progress on Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge and all the changes in Frontierland and still have a great time? The answer is "Yes!"  

What did I accomplish? 26 Attractions and One evening parade in Two parks with two sit down meals and two stops for beverage breaks. Oh yeah- 18 of these attractions were "E Tickets"!

How did I accomplish it?

• One Day, Two Park Ticket bought in advance
• Single Rider Lines
• Getting to the Parks Before Opening
• MaxPass
• Mobile Ordering for dinner
• Staying until (almost) closing time

Here's how it played out and my review on the new-ish Pixar Pier, the re-Imagined Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, and an analysis of the Disneyland Resort.

Strategically, since California Adventure has far fewer attractions than it's older sibling and the two that were recently re-Imagined, I knew this had to be my first stop. 

Take a closer look.

Love of the parks draws people together.

I queued up at the gates at 7:00am that Thursday morning. My plan was to go Friday, but I had woken up at 5:00am, and it was one of those days that going back to sleep just wasn't going to happen. Good reminder that plans change- and I ended up very thankful as Friday, it turned out to be over 110 degrees! 

We were let into the park at 7:30am, and as I guessed, we were able to go only so far into the park. This meant I had the chance to take my time, take a long look at Buena Vista Street and the mess of area that is Hollywoodland.

It's not always a better park atmosphere in Florida.

After being at Walt Disney World and spending our last day at the Studios just four weeks earlier, let me say that I find Buena Vista Street a much more rewarding "first act" than I do Hollywood Blvd. Sure, it's shorter in length and built on a smaller scale, but it's done right: layers of detail, interesting buildings, and lush vegetation with an abundance of trees. All this creates a place to relax and soak it in. Having the Red Car Trolleys as an actual attraction is a plus. As one who regularly criticizes the suits for often cutting budgets and bringing guests less than great experiences, I'll be the first to admit they gave the Imagineers ample funds to build a great and welcoming area!

Hello Walt!

This makes Hollywoodland look all the worse with its remnant of DCA 1.0 and a less than cohesive blend into the immediate areas around the new hub of the park. Standing in line at the end of the street waiting to be released to ride Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout provided a clear reminder how much this portion of the park needs a remake. Be the changes Marvel inspired or not, for now, it's poorly lackluster.

Full confession mode: I got very excited once we were allowed to get in line for the Guardians ride. It wasn't entirely new, but it was the closest thing I'd experience this trip to a brand new attraction. The building itself is just plain ugly, although I find it much better looking at night. Regardless of its convoluted backstory, it does not fit into the area in which its placed. 

Reminded me of that Michael Jackson statue

that was floated down those European rivers. 

Directed by the cast member to walk the entire length of the queue, I saw that the garden area was clearly a spot where it would have been better to rip the entire thing out and start new. 

Hollywoodland's (Rip Ride) Rocket

There's been many reports that Bob Chapek demanded this revision and pushed in into the hands of Imagineer Joe Rohde. I won't recap it, but as a big fan of the original Twilight Zone Tower of Terror... wait for it... I found the Guardians version to be lighthearted, fun, and rather well done under the circumstances. As much as the garden area is ineffective, the lobby seems to work, and the much talked about Rocket Audio-Animatronic is excellent! This truly unexpected surprise works well in the context of the story. The actual on-ride experience is as fun as always, but you never really forget you're watching a movie. It's fatal flaw.

The attraction's stronger than what I expected it to be, but the whole Marvel land expansion had better be much, much better than the rumored shooting attraction set in a California business complex. 

My rental car was much more fun!

I snagged a Fast Pass for Incredicoaster, but left Hollywoodland directly for a ride on Luigi's Rollickin' Roadsters before using the single rider line for Radiator Springs Racers.  For the record, Mater's a better "B Ticket" attraction than either the Flying Tires or the Roadsters. Not surprisingly, Cars Land's centerpiece experience is still the strongest addition to Disney's West Coast resort since the Indiana Jones Adventure. 

Same great ride- poor overlay.

So, I guess it's time for an objective look at Pixar Pier and the Incredicoaster. That's hard to do as I have never been a fan of Paradise Pier or the entire concept of a carnival as part of a Disney theme park. 

I guess we're stuck with this carnival.

As an Armchair Imagineer, after the very successful relaunch of California Adventure and the great reception to Buena Vista Street and Cars Land, I'd have let the guests come for a year and then close down the Pier for a major retheme / rehaul. The suits waited longer to do this, but I'd say the project was a failure.

Using MaxPass, I walked to the pier. Screamin' / Incredicoaster remains a great ride. Really a rush- and I still love it. After their theming rework, it now includes a quickly done cover story that removes the continuity of thrill as you're interrupted by dialogue on the lift hills and the visuals of baby Jack Jacks on sticks. (WHO approved that???) 

Other areas seem improved (the main entrance to Pixar Pier and the band shell), ignored (the coaster still needs a paint job and the Fun Wheel needs a real roof over the queue), or made much worse (the chicken stand is a disaster). Part of my frustration with the carnival land is there's no where to get away from the crush of the crowd because in contrast to other parts of the park, the pathways are narrow here and there's no side streets or charming nooks. It really is like a carnival midway in the worst sense of the word. Including no shade- and for such a long stretch of walkway through the park. 

The new paint scheme doesn't help matters at all. Any sense of sophistication established with the Hotel del Coronado vibe that was there after the first refurb has been traded for a garish, in your face, circus look. In other words, it's been dumbed down to the lowest level in order to sell more merchandise to the kids.  May I ask, "What does California have to do with that?" Ugh.

 Nicely done change!

On my way to see the new-to-me Grizzly Peak Airfield (aka Condor Flats), I jumped into a two minute line for Little Mermaid. Quickly, the interior of California's version is easily superior to that of the attraction in Florida's Magic Kingdom. Enough said.

As a fan of the original Condor Flats, I found the Imagineers did an excellent job bringing the airfield out of the barren desert and into the forested mountains. See, they can do it right when they are allowed to do so.

                           

Note to the Pixar Pier Imagineers:

It's the little details that enhance the theme,

not slapping the characters on every available surface.

Wandering around, the area felt as if it were entirely brand new. This was an unexpected and very pleasant surprise. I enjoyed the new Soarin' film for what it was, but I would certainly be open to having both films available for a ride. (MaxPass again.) Walking out of the area on my way to Disneyland, I noticed how well the new entrance to the area transitioned from the Carthay Circle. It just felt right. (Six rides, including three "E Tickets" so far.) I'd return for Paint the Night later in the evening.

Where is the castle?

By 10:30am, I was standing in front of the Bengal BBQ waiting for my delicious but expensive Kalua Pork Sandwich. More than enough for two- but I was so hungry as I hadn't eaten since being up at 5, it went down easily. Let me back track a bit.

Walking into Walt's park felt like going home. BUT I have to admit to my Florida friends reading this, the castle is small. Charming, yes, but from Main Street, it just about disappears from sight. Remember, I'd just come from the Magic Kingdom one month before this visit. It all feels warm and cozy but more like a cottage than a mansion with a blazing fire a la Beauty and the Beast.

It's cute but it's no Crystal Palace. 

After regaining my energy with food, drink and some time in the shade, it was time for some attractions. Just then I realized just how jam packed the park is with one great adventure after another. 

I also quickly remembered how small the walkways were. Not just in Adventureland but all through the park. This contributes to the intimacy of the park, but all day long, this fact alone made me question the sanity of park executives. Who decided to bring in Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge here instead of biting the bullet and Imagineering that third park? The place is going to be crushed with people, and my bet is that the guest satisfaction levels will drop. 

Because this article is about doing so many rides in one full day, I'm going to give it to you in list form below. If you want to read my humble observations about the park changes- and why my next visit will be Walt Disney World instead of California, continue reading after the list. Here goes...

Apple screenshot

ending at 11:34pm on July 5.

Disneyland:  

Disneyland Railroad

Columbia
BTMRR (3) (Two Max Pass, one regular line)
Pirates (2)
Haunted Mansion
Indiana Jones Adventure (single rider)
Space Mountain (single rider)
Jungle Cruise (MaxPass)
It's A Small World
Main Street Cinema
Enchanted Tiki Room
Matterhorn Bobsleds (single rider)
Disney Gallery
Tarzan's Treehouse
Roger Rabbit (MaxPass)

Disney California Adventure:

Luigi's Rollicking Roadsters 
Paint the Night
Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout
RSR(2) (single rider)
Incredicoaster (MaxPass)
Little Mermaid
Soarin' Around the World (MaxPass)
Grizzly River Run (single rider)


Thanks for reading on! Let's pick up on some thoughts about those park changes.

Toontown needs to stay.

Disneyland is still an amazing place where you can feel the spirit of Walt. I find it in the more intimate scale of things; the sweet and gentle innocence of a more simple Fantasyland, and a park size that feels like an experiment and not the guaranteed success of those parks which came afterwards. Yet, although  you can sense the years given how lush the park is with full grown trees, there's  buildings that need to be demolished in Tomorrowland and other changes needed. Disneyland is a park in transition.

Photos of a re-Imagined Frontierland 

and its Rivers of America.

At the very top of my Disneyland must-see list was the total transformation of the Rivers of America in preparation for the Star Wars invasion. To shorten the river was a mistake in my opinion, but in execution, I found it to be a unexpected success. I rode the train, sailed aboard the Columbia and walked around every pathway leading to and from the Galaxy's Edge taking photograph after photograph of the changes. 

The cruise seemed only slightly shorter from a time perspective, but it was noticeable we weren't traveling as fast as we used to. The trip was far more interesting with all the activity and set pieces on the riverbanks. Once the trees really grow in, it will be even better- and all the new waterfalls are great. Additional water features are always a win as far as I'm concerned. Aside from the lost opportunity of traveling on the train through a sparkling new version of Rainbow Caverns, I'm a happy man. New sights. New sounds. New excitement. 

After thoroughly checking out all the changes, the heat won me over. I'm not ashamed to say it, but I walked into Starbucks on Main Street and ordered three drinks: an iced Vanilla Latte, a Very Strawberry Frappuccino (it wasn't), and a big cup of cold water. The small nook back in the library area was my home for the next half hour as I recharged my cel phone as well as my stamina. 

Refreshed and ready to go again, I popped into the surprisingly busy Main Street Cinema for a short bit, surveyed the changes in the Disney Gallery, and then I jumped on board the train at the Main Street Station for a grand circle tour. Then it was back to a couple of my favorites.

Beautiful and serene mansion on the outside...

My list of must do adventures continued with the (happily) classic version of the Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean, two of my most loved attractions ever. 

The queue for the ride through the gardens was hot but beautiful. The magnolias were in bloom, and the lengthier wait (20 minutes) gave me a chance to really look around and enjoy it all. I had just seen the classic version of the mansion in Florida and was so happy to do so without the Nightmare Before Christmas overlay. I am usually in Southern California in October these days, so it has been close to a decade since I've seen this beloved classic in its original mode. The famous Hat Box Ghost was well done and no more startling than the new Constance in the attic. Although the eerie attraction was in top condition, I found the actual trip through the mansion was better in Florida. There. I said it. It's not always better in California. Usually, but not always.

A Fast Pass casualty.

Pirates could do without the politically correct changes, and it needs a better queue than the one that blocks Adventureland from the rest of New Orleans Square. The attraction was in top shape. Gone was that mist screen and the filmed images. Good choice. The pirate / skeleton with octopus was well done and a nice surprise. I also noticed some island soldiers on top of the fortress fighting against Captain Barbossa. Are they new? And are they from World of Motion at Epcot? The revised auction scene is much better here than in Florida, but it's still doesn't make sense. Pirates auctioning what they've stolen? Interesting choice. 

One quick and sweet story. My second ride through Pirates, I sat in my row behind a family that was probably from Brazil based on the Portuguese they spoke. It was easy to tell it was their first trip. In contrast, the family behind me spoke a mix of English and Spanish, and they had two little kids who probably hadn't been on the ride before. 

At every turn as we cruised along, I heard the Brazilian family ooh and ahh and saw faces of amazement as they looked right and left. When we were going up the waterfall at the end of the ride, they made an audible and unified sigh of disappointment. I thought they were going to applaud. Their faces spoke of amazement and wonder over what had just been witnessed. The local Hispanic family was behind me, but I could hear from their conversation and the giggles that the younger kids loved the thrills and sights and their parents enjoyed taking them on what was probably their first ride. 

Both these families reminded me of how right Walt was to build a lengthy and impressive family ride that wasn't a coaster but still had thrills all could enjoy- and to do it with a terrific mix of technology and good old fashioned showmanship including the iconic theme song. For so many reasons, Pirates remains the ultimate statement of Disney Imagineering excellence even 50 years after its debut. This exemplifies the ongoing power of Disneyland. 

Tomorrowland needs a full rehaul!

It's the embarrassment of all of Disneyland. 

Single rider options and MaxPass really helped me get some great "E Ticket" rides under my belt in very little time. Big Thunder, Splash Mountain, Indiana Jones, and even Space Mountain were a breeze. The ride in the white-coned shaped mountain was incredibly smooth and sharp, and I was on in less than 5 minutes. (By the way, Launch Bay is just a glorified museum and home to some meet and greets.)

The daylight ride through the wilderness was fun, but two rides in a row at night with only three or four minutes wait -and with fireworks going off the first time- solidified the status of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad: It is my favorite roller coaster in both of the California parks. I never tire of riding it! The thrills are there, and the setting and execution of the ride are top notch. We loved it in Florida (if only it had been a part of Thunder Mesa and it's unbuilt Western River Expedition), it's an amazing attraction in Paris, and back home in California, it remains a family favorite. 

Loved my visit to the Enchanted Tiki Room!

Ditto for my journey on the Disneyland Railroad-

and the Jungle Cruise. 

After a few more attractions, it was time to head back to California Adventure for a wrap up tour before capping the night off back at Disneyland. Last minute, I decided to swap my MaxPass for Grizzly River Run so I could ride Big Thunder at night. It was a smart choice as I waited about 15 minutes for the single rider line to reopen and found myself on the very wet side of a spinning raft in less than two minutes once it did. By this point, the line was almost two hours long for GRR if you didn't go single rider! Two hours! Count that in as a concession to the heat and the fact there are relatively few attractions here.

I took time for a short dinner stop and used digital ordering to get a quick meal at the Lucky Fortune Cookery. Bypassing at least 15 families in line at dinnertime, I had my hot and very tasty chicken bowl in less than 5 minutes. Yum! This has become one of my go-to places in California Adventure as I loved to eat on the Wharf and people watch. 

Getting ready for the sun to go down 

over the Cadillac Range.

Finishing my tasty meal, I made a beeline for Radiator Springs Racers, with the single rider line taking about 30 minutes. The full queue was in use for the regular line, and Fast Passes were gone for the rest of the evening. 

Walking through Cars Land is such a satisfying experience! Perhaps it just shows that the Imagineers still have what it takes. I walked the back way past the revamped Tower attraction. It looks much better in the evening. I did not ride it again, as I wanted to hit Paint the Night before heading back to Disneyland, and my timing was close. 

Electrical Parade Take Two.

I stood on the park entrance side of the Carthay Circle, enjoyed the very bright parade and moved as fast as I could from the park over to Disneyland. Just had to meet my Fast Pass time at Big Thunder. 

As I quickly headed out, I surveyed the park. Buena Vista Street is short but perfectly sets the mood, walking in or walking out. With Marvel on its way, I'm skeptical the Imagineers can pull off the great sense of atmosphere they created when they brought Buena Vista Street and Cars Land to life. It needed the transformation, but now it seems as if they may ruin it. California Adventure is a park in transition once again- and from what I saw this trip, this isn't necessarily a move in the right direction.

Fantasyland at night is charming!

Back to Walt's park to wrap it up. So, I was late getting to my Fast Pass appointment, missing the ending time by ten minutes due to the evening shows and the very thick crowds being it was July 5th. The good natured cast members understood and let me on for two quick rides in succession. Backtracking a bit, I then walked around the river bend, glancing at Pirates and Mansion from a distance and took a quick walk through Adventureland for a few quick photos and went back the way I came.

Moving quickly down the frontier trail into the beautifully lit Fantasyland village for It's A Small World, the ride reopened just moments after I arrived. Yes, I'm a grown man, but I love this ride. Even though I'm all too aware of my shortcomings and definitely sinful (but by Jesus, forgiven) nature, I regain just a bit of childlike innocence every time I ride. 

I was just beat by this point as it was after 11pm. I could have struggled with the crowds, walked through Tomorrowland and taken that MaxPass for Buzz, but I was whipped. Heading back to the castle, I saw Mr. Toad had no line, so I jumped in. About three riders from the front, the cars stopped and maintenance came in, signaling it really was my time to go home.

Hot but happy.

There you have it! Almost 16 full hours in the parks, and I had an amazing day! More than enough new photographs and stories to tell for awhile. Now with the news that the 4th hotel is being delayed, the Disneyland Resort remains in transition. Downtown Disney feels disrupted while California Adventure is clearly remaking itself one again. Yet for all its faults, Disneyland is still the undisputed theme park king of the Golden State. One thing is certain- I know I'll be back, but I'll give things a few years to settle down.

(Photographs copyright Mark Taft.)