Day 6 - Saturday 7th October 2006 - Part 1

Up at 7am this morning as we have reservations at the Minnie and Friends Plaza for a 'Character Breakfast' at 8:20am. This is going to be a massive day for us. Disneyland is open from 8am until midnight and not only do we want to be there for the park opening so we can make our breakfast reservations, tonight we also plan on seeing the fireworks display and the big production in the park, Fantasmic! On top of this we plan on spending the bulk of the day in the other Disneyland park, Disney's California Adventure (DCA). Our plan is stying out until about 5ish and then heading back to the hotel for a couple of hours and then coming back down after that.
We arrived at the park at 7:55am 5 mins before opening and by about 8:03 we were in the park. I quickly ran up to Space Mountain to get a fast pass to use later tonight. We were quickly seated for our breakfast and were delighted to find that we were being joined for breakfast by Minnie, The Mad Hatter, Alice, Eyeore, Tigger, Captain Hook and Chip & Dale. While we had helped ourselves to a great selection of hot and cold breakfast, drinks and pastries, the characters moved from table to table, interacting with guests and each other and posing for autographs and photos.



After we left breakfast I quickly grabbed a fast pass for Buzz and then we went across the plaza for our first experience of the other Disneyland park, DCA. We got there right on opening at 10am (this park runs shorter hours then Disneyland) and headed straight to Soarin' Over California. This is a simulator ride but so exceptionally well done. You are strapped into a 'hang-glider' and you take a gentle ride over various highlights of California. Doesn't sound very interesting but the way you soar with up-draughts and feel the wind and the smells of the areas you are flying over is truly breathtaking.
We then rode the Monsters Inc ride and then it was over to Tower of Terror. The old girl sooked out of this one but with some trepidation Toni joined me. The ride is set in a 1930's era Hollywood Hotel that has fallen into the Twilight Zone. The theming is amazing and the rides attendants look fantastic in their 30's era Bellhop uniforms.
Unlike the Giant Drop at dreamworld where you go up slowly, stay at the top for a bit and then drop, this ride is set up to make you believe you are in a Service Elevator. And its not a gentle ride up, you fly up a series of floors and the door opens and you see a scene. Then you drop a couple of floors and see another scene. Then you fly all the way to the top where the door opens and you see out over the park. Then its madness as you go up and down randomly until you finally end up back on the ground. It drops faster then gravity so you are off the seat and only held in by the harness. We both loved it.
Toni was then able to get some more character autographs and I was able to meet my favourite Disney Character.... Sourcer Mickey. I was like a kid let loose in a candy store, I was so excited.

We then went to a class where we were taught how to grow Goofey. Needless to say none of us suddenly discovered any hidden artistic skills, though our efforts were good enough that you could recognise that we had drawn something that at least had a passing likeness to the Disney Character.
We then explored the younger kids section of the park where Toni got to experience Dodgem Cars for the first time. Unfortunatly these were the tamest dodgem cars in the history of the universe. Seriously even Hugo would have struggled to get a decent bump out of them. Toni loved them though but we all know how suspect her taste is.
We eventually found our way down to Paridise Peer. This area is themed around a manmade bay in the style of a bayside fair from the 50s or 60s. It is very well done but other then having a pretty good rollercoaster and a giant ferris wheel, there isn't a lot to do there. There are a heap of sideshow games you can play but you have to pay for them, and after paying so much to get into the place to start with, it is a bit rich to ask people to pay more to be entertained, especially as the prizes that you win are non-disney basic stuffed toys.
The Rollercoaster California Screamin' is pretty cool though. You leave the station and go around a bend to a straight piece of track where you come to a complete stop. At this point you are just above the water level of the bay and there is a lookout above you for people to watch. A 5 sec countdown is initiated and you are launched from 0-100km/hr in 2 secs and hurled up the major hill. From this point it is a pretty standard rollercoaster with one full loop but its pretty fun non the less. Toni loved it but mum wimped on it again.
Toni and I then went and rode the Grizly Rapid Ride. This is a similiar concept to the Rapids rides both at Dreamworld and San Diego Seaworld. After the diabcle at Sea World the other day I wore board shorts so if I did get wet I would dry quickly. This ride was very well themed and longer and with bigger drops then its counterparts at other parks. I absorbed most of the water on this ride protecting Toni but by the time I had exited the ride I was mostly dry.
We went for one last ride of Soarin' and then with a big night ahead of us, it was time to go back to the hotel for a couple of hours rest