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Old 22 Jul 14, 10:31 AM  
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In the footsteps of Lewis & Clark - Day 12 - Part Two

DAY 12 – Part Two - “An extra layer of Pixie Dust ?”

Wednesday 2nd July 2014

Continued... So we are at the Carthay Circle restaurant in Disney's California Adventure. ...

Food wise - Grilled Chicken Scaloppini with a salad of shaved Endive, Roasted Peppers, and Jalapeño-Orange Essence.



Darrin goes with Tempura-fried Shrimp with forbidden Black Rice Stir-fry and Red Thai Curry. What was forbidden about the rice we never found out!



Tim & Jimmie opt for The Ultimate Beef Sandwich - slowly Braised Beef Short Rib served open-faced with Sautéed Portobello Mushrooms, Parmesan Cheese, and Arugula.



As we leave the restaurant to our right is "1901". Think Club 33. it's another private members club but thisis within Disney's California Adventure park.



We have been told there is a Hidden Mickey near the door. We search and search and its only when we ask a CM that we actually find it. They have put odd shape pieces of white into the pavement and voila!



Disney’s California Adventure had one serious makeover and, boy, did it need it. The park was a bad mish-mash of rides that couldn’t be fitted into Disneyland. What were once orange groves is now a huge business district with a theme park area plonked in the middle of it and only when any plot of land becomes available next to Disneyland Resort do Disney jump in and grab it. We remember well when DCA was the car and RV park (camper vans). They have completely re-modelled the entrance. The” CALIFORNIA” letters have been removed from the plaza outside and donated to the California State Fair’s Main Gate. The park entrance was remodelled and now resembles the famed Pan-Pacific Auditorium. (The same style was previously used at Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Florida.) The old postcard scenery and distorted Golden Gate Bridge has gone to be replaced with a 1930s Hollywood complete with red trolley cars which run from near the Hyperion bridge to Tower of Terror’s Hollywood Hotel. (You can buy a toy trolley set which runs on tracks. Yes, I have one!)



The statue here is of Walt with a suitcase stood on its end on which is perched Mickey.



It depicts his arrival in Hollywood and the creation of his famous mouse after Oswald the Rabbit had been stolen from him by the film distributors. (You can get Oswald ear hats in the shops.)

We pop into the Animation Academy on Hollywood Pictures Backlot to escape the heat. You can learn to draw Disney charcters here but we head on in to the Beast's library. Here you can find out which Disney charcater you are most like by answering various questions on a screen.



By afternoon the temperature has soared and is touching 90F plus. For me and Jimmie it’s way too hot. Having been badly burned a week ago by the sun in San Francisco I particularly need to avoid any more UV. We decide to head back to our respective hotels. Tim and Jimmie are at the Hilton which is about a 10 to 15 minute walk from the parks. It’s ten minutes part four (p.m.) and so we go to registration to find out our room number in the DVC Villas.



Official check in is 4 o’clock. It’s not ready and we are asked to wait about 20 minutes. All our bags are with Bell Services. At half four we try again – it is still not ready! DVC here is notorious for its lateness in letting you get to your room. We are tired, sticky and in desperate need of a cuppa.



I ask how much longer it is going to be. The CM picks up the phone and chats to somebody (presumably in Mousekeeping). Then she comes out with: “They are spreading extra pixie dust in your room!” I respond: “NO, I don’t think they are. I’d really like to shower and chill for a little while so can you please get them to sort things NOW.” In my head I’m thinking what they are now spreading is a load of old bull…. I think the CM can see we are annoyed and so she disappears out the back. Another ten minutes or so goes by. We are just about to ask for a supervisor when the CM appears and informs us a room is now ready. We have waited nearly 50 minutes over the advertised time. (Shades of Avis car hire methinks!) To compensate we are given a voucher entitling us to 2 x Fastpass on any FP ride at any time except character meet and greet (we’re guessing that could be the Frozen girls), Radiator Springs Racers or World of Color. Personally, a pillow to lie my head on the registration desk would have been far preferable. We have both been up since 5 a.m. (Darrin’s business plus early opening at California Adventure. Finally we tumble into our one bedroom unit at 5:00 p.m. Bad show Disney! We have an hour to get sorted, change our attire and meet up again with our friends.





We meet up at 6p.m. I’ve booked the “Fantasmic” dessert party for 9p.m. and I have to pick up the tickets from City Hall at 7p.m. – photo ID and card I booked with are required and then we have to go and check in at a podium near Haunted Mansion.



I’ve mentioned many times that “Fantasmic” at Disneyland has no general seating. It is presented on Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America. If you can find a wall to perch your rear on you are doing fine. The dessert party affords a seated area with nibbles and drinks and is on an area raised up above the crowd below.



Many reasons why I love this version of the show – it was the original – it is shorter in length than the Orlando show (about 20 minutes) – you are closer to the action and they use the sailing ship Columbia for a Peter Pan / Captain Hook sequence which involves some piratical gymnastics.




The actual paddle riverboat is used for the finale "wave" of characters instead of that cartoony vessel they use at Disney’s Hollywood Studios (yes, I know it’s a copy of the Steamboat Willie boat but I don’t like it) The riverboat at Disneyland has 3 speeds – normal, fast and “Fantasmic”.




The dessert tray consists of cheese and biscuits, grapes, chocolates and an assortment of desserts and cookies. ($ 54 each for those of you with an enquiring mind and considering the quality of the desserts we thought it excllent value. You would easily pay $5 or 6 per individual dessert in a restaurant.)




The show is great, as ever but for some reason the Beauty and the Beast float is missing in the “Tale as old as time” sequence. Technical problem? When the dragon sets fire to the water you can feel the heat!



Afterwards we are allowed to stay in our seats to watch a dress rehearsal for the 4th July fireworks.



Very stirring! It’s been a long day and so it’s head down Main Street and out into Downtown Disney. Our room block can be reached by an entrance from Downtown Village for Grand Floridian guests. I guess by the time Tim and Jimmie reach their hotel, Darrin and I are fast asleep.

No car use today.

** some of the abovephotos are courtesy of my friens Tim and I want to thank him for allowing me to use them.


Trip report INDEX: http://DIBB.in/9823405

Edited at 10:34 AM.
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Old 22 Jul 14, 12:04 PM  
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Another great day...shame you had to wait so long for room...
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Old 22 Jul 14, 12:18 PM  
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Originally Posted by Eeyore rocks View Post
Another great day...shame you had to wait so long for room...
As I said DVC can be notorious for this. It's because housekeeping doesn't just have a bedroom and a bathroom to clean (unless it's a studio). It's like tackling a small house with a one or two bedroom which often have TWO bathrooms. Fridge check, dishwasher check, laundry check on top of the other stuff.Check out is 11a.m. so it doesn't leave them a lot of time to get them all ready for the next guests.
We got the Fastpass thing so that kind of compensated for the situation but at the time all I want to do was stick a flannel around my face and important little places and have a good old cup of tea!
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Old 22 Jul 14, 12:24 PM  
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I'm using Chrome and can't see some pictures :-( Disney service wasn't great with the spreading dust!
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Old 22 Jul 14, 12:40 PM  
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Originally Posted by princess_chazy View Post
I'm using Chrome and can't see some pictures :-( Disney service wasn't great with the spreading dust!
If you are on an ipad and have Chrome loaded there shouldn't be any problems - unless its slow broadband. Other than that I can't advise except for use a PC or laptop - sorry.
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Old 22 Jul 14, 02:34 PM  
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Great day! Lunch looks fabulous.
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Old 22 Jul 14, 06:29 PM  
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Can see them now thanks :-) Lunch loooks delicious! Sold!
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Old 22 Jul 14, 06:37 PM  
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It was. Shades of Club 33 and yet bookable by all park guests.
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Old 22 Jul 14, 08:11 PM  
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Great day again Geoffa! I've downloaded Chrome, couldn't cope with ye olde lap top! Pussycat
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Old 25 Jul 14, 09:13 AM  
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Love Fanstasmic! at DL - what a great way to end your evening
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