Tag Archives: DCA

Red Car Trolley From The Inside, Woot!

2 Comments Posted by on September 10, 2012

I can’t get enough of Buena Vista Street, guys.

Also my kid can’t get enough of saying the word “guys.” It’s terrible, really, the things you hear coming out of your 3 and 1/2 year old’s mouth. Luckily so swear words, yet. We were at the park this weekend (a  neighborhood park, not The Park) and Theo kept going up to all of the other little kids asking, “Do you want to be my best friend?” When he finally got a taker, another little kid his age, he kept calling this other kid “Orange Shirt Guy.” Like “Hey, Orange Shirt Guy! Want to go down the slide together?” or “Follow me, Orange Shirt Guy!” I honestly could not believe my ears. Neither could the woman next to me, who was like, “Did he just say ‘Orange Shirt Guy’?” and naturally she turned out to be OSG’s mother. So I felt obligated to keep calling out, “Honey! His name is Thomas!” but really I was secretly proud of how hilarious my child is.

Clearly a visual learner, as another friend pointed out.

Also, did you know that you can neatly fold down your popcorn box at Disneyland?

No way!

 

So maybe I’m the last person to find that out, but it pretty much blew my mind.

I learned this from a cast member when I boarded the Red Car Trolley.

With all the lights on

No eating or drinking in the trolley. And if you have a box of popcorn, you now know how to fold it up.

You’re welcome.

I haven’t had much luck getting on the Trolley. Well obviously I had SOME luck or I couldn’t have taken these pictures.

Ding ding!

But I’ve really only been able to ride it once. Which is a bit disappointing since it’s so cool.

The trolley goes from Buena Vista Street through Hollywoodland to the Tower of Terror, and obviously back again. I hopped aboard this one at the Tower of Terror stop.

More high-quality photography

The trolley does not go very fast. Obviously, since it would just mow people down right and left and how embarrassing would that be? There is a person who walks in front of it getting people out of the way.

I didn’t realize this until after I took this picture, but it looks like the scooter is beating the trolley.

Ha

 

I can’t remember exactly, but I’m pretty sure the trolley was not actually moving in that picture.

The trolley is something you ride for the experience of riding it. You could absolutely walk to any of its destinations much faster than riding there, but there is something special and kind of cool about taking the oldey-timey transportation down Buena Vista Street.

Have I mentioned lately how much I LOVE this new entrance to California Adventure? I love it.

 

 

 

 

Mouse-Next-Door , , ,

More Buena Vista Street

2 Comments Posted by on June 21, 2012

Such a gorgeous place, y’all! I love this time period. I should, since my house was built in it. And I also love the Disney details, right down to the trash cans.

I will!

For those of you familiar with DCA’s original Sunshine Plaza entrance, which I personally disliked, Buena Vista Street could not possibly be more different.

A look down the empty street

Buena Vista Street was made to look a lot like Main Street, and it does.

Fun!

There’s a lot of Buena Vista Street-specific atmosphere here–lots of cast members in character, like the cyclist

Delivering newspaper

And this woman with her “pet dog”

Cute!

What’s great about her is that she wanders through the stores like she’s shopping.

Even the characters have their dapper outfits on–something you don’t find on Main Street.

Newsboy Mickey

See how my bangs are swept to one side there? I ended up with a sunburn on half of my forehead. Classy.

And even Chip and Dale.

Although Pluto’s idea of dressing up is a little unimpressive.

One fabulous thing Disney did with Buena Vista Street as well as Cars Land is to plant a TON of fully-grown trees. There’s a lot of nice shading in the area.

Here, for example

The building details are awesome. I particularly love the newspaper

Bugle! Who uses that word anymore?

So much fun stuff on Buena Vista Street! Go see it!

Mouse-Next-Door , , ,

Buena Vista Street and the Red Car Trolley

4 Comments Posted by on June 15, 2012

Over at Disney California Adventure (aka the Mouse-Next-Door), a new entrance plaza is unveiled–Buena Vista Street. Just as Main Street, U.S.A. is supposed to represent a small-town main street at the turn of the century, Buena Vista Street represents the streets of Los Angeles as Walt encountered them when he stepped off the train in 1923. Which incidentally is the year after our house was built.

Anyway, replacing “Sunshine Plaza” (of which I was never a fan), Buena Vista Street is everything you would want a park entrance to be, and more. Like Main Street, the details are exquisite, from the architecture to the window displays, everything is lovingly detailed.

For the preview we entered through a super-secret doorway in the walls. By the time you read this, you’ll be able to walk right in.

Super secret!

You’re immediately hit with some amazing buildings.

Sepulveda Bldg (home of the bathrooms)

Even the lockers are awesome

And one thing members of my family are particularly looking forward to–the Red Car Trolley.

The Red Car Trolley is a real working trolley. It will run up and down Buena Vista Street all the way to the Tower of Terror.

There is a small queuing area

The interior of the trolley is fantastic too. And seriously, it had that “new trolley smell.” Like the new car smell, except in a trolley. Heh.

I really really really really can’t wait to eat at the Carthay Circle restaurant. The chef is the same one from the Napa Rose, and it looks amazing. However, since it’s inside the park, we have to wait until Kevin’s pass is no longer blocked out. So, like, September. Ah well, it will be crowded this summer anyway.

The trolley is fun to board and the conductors are really happy to be running it.

I just really like this picture:

And here’s a shot of the length of Buena Vista Street!

Stay tuned for more Cars Land/Buena Vista Street coverage!

 

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Francis’ Ladybug Boogie

Leave a comment Posted by on February 10, 2012

We’re still over here at the Mouse-Next-Door in Bugs Land, which is basically like Little Kid Land. I already posted about the bumper cars so here’s Flik’s Fun Fair’s equivalent of the Teacups.

Ta da!!

 

That’s right! Pissed-off ladybugs!

Obviously.

Here we are at Francis’ Ladybug Boogie. Now I will admit that it has been a very, very long time since I saw A Bug’s Life. And I’m pretty sure I’ve only seen it once, quite possibly when I lived in Missouri. Which was a while ago.

So I didn’t quite remember the character of Francis, but his ride seems fairly comprehensive.

Read the bottom

 

Yep, it says “He’s No Lady.” And you know, I get that he’s miffed that people keep mistaking him for a lady, but at this point he should probably just get over it.

The Boogie part of Francis’ Ladybug Boogie comes from the record theme.

I remember these!

 

Like the rest of Flik’s Fun Fair, the theming is exquisite.

Which you can clearly see from this dark, entirely nondescript picture

 

I do love that many of the FFF rides have shaded queues.

Anyway, you board your pissed off ladybug

"Theo! Look at Mommy! Look at Mommy!"

 

Inside your pissed off ladybug is a wheel that just like the teacups, spins your car around.

We have told Theo that it’s just a handle and it doesn’t actually turn. I’m hoping that by the time he figures it out, he’ll be paying for his own Disneyland tickets.

Anyway, the group of angry ladybirds* swirl around in a crazy carnival-type pattern…

Wheeee!

 

…underneath this bafflingly lame picture I took of the roof. I really have no idea what I was going for here, but whatever it was, I didn’t make it.

Ah now, they can't all be good pictures. Especially here on MYWTM.

 

In all, it’s a short but fun ride. It doesn’t have the capacity of the teacups, but its position in the park means there are far fewer crowds back there. I don’t know if Theo actually liked it this time–he’s liked it in the past and he likes the teacups, but seemed trepidatious this time. Then again, he is 3 years old.

*The terms ladybug and ladybird are interchangeable. Theo is in the Ladybug class at his preschool.

And speaking of Theo, we decided to take a cute picture at the Lightning McQueen and Tow Mater meet and greet.

The cars don't sign autographs

How cute is that?

 

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