California Trip Report Part 3
Sunday 28th May 2006 – My Birthday
Today I had wanted a bit of a lie in, partly as I didn’t sleep to well the night before. I got up at about 9:15 (when the cleaner tried to get in LOL) and got ready for the parks, arriving at about 10.
Today was a block out day on my Annual Pass, so I had to go to the Will Call desk and purchase a block out day ticket. These are priced at a reasonable $30 (Cost me £16.61). There was not a queue, so I purchased the ticket and went straight in (I was hoping they’d have to scan my AP and the Block Out Ticket so I could use both in Fast Pass Machines… no such luck LOL)
Anyway, the order of the day was as follows. First up I grabbed an Indy Fast pass and then headed over to Splash, rode Splash down Single Rider (though if I recall there wasn’t much of a queue anyway) and then headed over to the Jungle Cruise. After the Jungle Cruise I headed back to Haunted Mansion, rode this and headed over to Main Street. I found myself a bench, as the park was starting to get very busy, and just watched the world go by. The weather was great, and it was nice just sitting in soaking in the atmosphere and the sunshine, watching everyone else enjoy their day 
After relaxing on Main Street I headed to City Hall and picked up my Birthday Sticker heh. Little did I know how much attention that would get me throughout the day! I then went to the Tiki room (Classic as Ever) to bide some time before I could get another Fast Pass and then picked up a pass for Space Mountain. Now I headed over to DCA.
First thing I did in DCA was grab a Fast Pass for the Tower of Terror (You never know when it may get busy… usually at Aladdin kicking out time!) After grabbing a FP I went straight over and went on Tower of Terror, there was no queue at this time hehe After ToT I was going to ride Monsters Inc. but it had a stupidly long queue, so I decided I’d try this again another day.
Next up I went on Soarin’. Loved it as much as ever, especially bypassing the whole queue using Single Rider. After that I went for a bite to eat at White Water Snacks (Again). Today I had a Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Fries, it’s supposed to be a kids meal, but anyone can buy it, and I really enjoyed it, nicest Cheese Toastie I’ve ever had (well, that’s what we call them here… easier to say and type :p)
Back in DCA after lunch I went on the Single Rider entrance for Screamin’. If I recall rightly I actually had sound today :p After Screamin’ I headed back to the hotel, as I said I didn’t sleep well the night before, and had a lie down on my bed for a couple hours, from 3-5.
When I made it back to the park, my first stop was DCA again, to catch the Block Party Bash, it had already started in Sunshine Plaza when I got there, so I headed up to the Golden Dreams area of the park, and found myself a spot there. Of course every green soldier that went past saw my Birthday Sticker and started screaming at me to take part It’s all good fun LOL
I headed over to Screamin’ to ride again now, but it turns out it was down, so I went on the Tower of Terror instead I then headed over to Disneyland Park where the parade of dreams was running. I took advantage of this (as its not one of my favourite parades as I previously reported) and headed over to the Matterhorn and rode the right hand side whilst the parade passes, there was a very short queue which was moving very quick, of course by the time I was off the parade was over and the queue was back to normal, very long, so I didn’t get chance to ride the left side today.
Next I headed over to Space Mountain, I grabbed a Fast Pass and then redeemed the pass I picked up earlier. Space was as fun as ever 
After Space Mountain it was getting late and I wanted to see Disney’s Electrical Parade, so at 8pm I left Disneyland Park and headed back to DCA. I was walking down the Parade route looking for a seat, and found a bench with 2 people on, so asked if it was taken, only to be told yes, by you! Turns out I was sat next to 2 Cast Members for the Walt Disney Travel Company, Patrick and Mark.
We were sat there chatting, waiting for the parade to start. We watched the parade and then Mark had to head off, but Patrick said he would like to join me in Disneyland Park (he claimed to like me, I think he just liked my accent :P) He could not be convinced that it was possible to see Disney’s Electrical Parade in DCA, then make it to Disneyland for Remember… Dreams Come True followed by Fantasmic! I had to of course prove him wrong (know it all cast members 
(I’m going to get hit for that cos I know he’s reading))
So anyway we headed back to Disneyland Park through Condor Flats so as to avoid the parade that was heading towards Sunshine Plaza. We made it over into Disneyland Park just as Julie Andrews started to do her stint. So we caught the fireworks, breath taking as ever! Now we had to battle our way up Main Street to get to the Rivers of America, eventually we got there and found what we thought was a good standing Fantasmic! viewing spot. It turns out we were wrong, some incredibly rude Spainish women stood her child up right in front of us on the arms of the Stroller. Now don’t get me wrong, I know Disneyland is for Children at the end of the day, but some manners please? When we suggested she move back so the people behind her could see, we were insulted by her and her sister who told us not to speak to her like that (all we did was ask politely if she’d mind moving further back so others could see… some people really are just plain rude, as long as they can see screw everyone else!!!)
Anyway, after our restricted viewing of Fantasmic! we headed over to Buzz, we both got pretty average scores! We then went on Haunted Mansion as the New Orleans Square part of the park had cleared and we didn’t have to battle our way across anymore. We actually managed to basically have the ride to ourselves, well at the last minute 2 others walked in, but we waited around chatting to the Cast Member in the Stretching room. Talked to her about F! she sometimes does guest control, told her about my job in Florida, she was very interested. Anyway we eventually went onto the ride itself, and no-one else was in sight Interesting experience for sure!
It was now almost closing, but I had told Patrick I would like to do the first 50 years attraction again, with Steve Martin, so we went and looked around the exhibition and watched the film again, I do like the film. Its quite enjoyable to watch as a Disney Fan
Patrick offered me a lift back to my hotel, initially I refused (it’s the polite thing to do, and my hotel really isn’t far away anyway lol), but he insisted, and I’ve never been on the tram’s so I thought why not. He was very proud of the fact that Disneyland has the largest parking structure in North America LOL, it does seem pretty huge!!! Anyway I got dropped back at the hotel at 1am, we exchanged numbers and agreed to meet again later in the week. I then promptly headed to bed for a good nights sleep
http://photos.tpruk.com/280506
Monday 29th June 2006
Today’s the day I picked up the rental car. I got up even later today, but I slept through the night so that’s good, and no cleaners came in and disturbed me, I finally got out of bed at 9:30am. I got up, got ready to go out and then quickly noted down what I had done the previous day before going to pick up the car at 10:30.
The rental place was supposed to be that Park Vue hotel just opposite the Disneyland main entrance on Harbor, but when I got there I was advised it’s a satellite office and I’d need to call the central office for them to come over. I did this, and within a few minutes a van was there to take me to the office on Katella.
In the van the driver was really friendly, asking me about my holiday etc. and he had a tip jar there. Now I am all for tipping when its due, but in my opinion, I had gone to where I agreed to pick up the car, and had to be picked up and taken somewhere else to get it. Now sure if I’d asked to be picked up from my hotel, sure, I would have tipped, but I didn’t, I went to the rental location I had booked and I had to be taken elsewhere. Was it right of me not to tip, I just didn’t think it was justified (and I didn’t have any small notes on me… only $10s and bigger). Just one of my random thoughts….
Anyway everything went well with the car collection from there, I got a Grey Chevrolet HHR which I really liked. I drove back to the hotel, arriving at 11:30. I then literally ran in, grabbed my stuff and went out again.
First off I headed down the I-5 (it felt so good to be driving, I felt really free and good about myself… quite odd) and went to Orange (the city). Was looking for a shopping center called the Block at Orange. Didn’t find it right away, found a shopping center called Westfield though. I had a look round, nothing that really caught my interest except a small Disney Store, I had a look round but its nothing like what’s in the parks anyway, seemed a little pointless.
I crossed the road now, not having a clue where I needed to go to get to the Block at Orange, and went into a Barnes and Noble. Here I bought myself a map of Orange County, this came in handy over the days. I bought myself a Coconut and Banana Frappucino from the Starbucks in B&N and found where I needed to be. Once I found the way, I was pretty quickly at the Block at Orange.
The Block at Orange is a massive shopping complex with Shops, a Cinema, Restaurants and a Dave and Busters (Large indoor entertainment complex, we used to have 2 in the UK but they closed) Anyway, I looked around but only went into the store I was specifically looking for, the Bose Factory Outlet. I went in to look at a Bose iPod sound dock. They are $299 (currently approx £175) compared to £249 in the UK. I decided not to buy one there and then, but I’d come back later in the week after making a decision.
From the Block at Orange I headed down to Newport beach, but this really wasn’t going to work out, it was memorial day and it was heaving. To be honest, I didn’t stop. I waited the best part of 3 hours from 2-5 in a roasting hot car for a parking space, just waiting in traffic for it to move a couple of meters at a time. At 5 I gave up, as soon as I got somewhere I could get out, I left…. 3 hours of a day wasted just sat in the car, I was not in the best of moods. I headed back to the hotel, and lay on the bed there as I was wound up and exhausted. I then texted my friend Ryan and told him what happened and he suggested I drive back to Laguna beach which would be much quieter. I had originally planned to go to Newport for a few hours then drive on to Laguna beach, but I missed the turn when I was driving back from Newport, and was too wound up to try and find my way back.
Anyway I had calmed down by 6:30 and headed down to Laguna Beach, this was a much nicer atmosphere, I parked at the side of a street and walked down to the coast. I walked maybe a mile along the beach until I couldn’t go any further. I climbed up some steps and walked back along the roads, by now the sun was setting, I stopped and took some pictures of the sunset, and then had a look around some of the shops and restaurants around Laguna beach. As I was on my own I decided not to dine in a table service restaurant, but instead I drove back and stopped at a Pizza Hut on Harbor for a meal. I got back to the hotel about 10:30 and felt quite relaxed. Glad I headed back out to Laguna as it was a nice end to what turned out to be a bit of a frustrating day