Hi!
Just wanna let you know that I´m back from my California/Grand Canyon/Las Vegas vacantion. Had a great time and I try to write a trip report over the next weeks with some pics from the days in the sun.
First step is a overview by dates:- 03.10 The Beginning: Frankfurt --> San Francisco (with an "unscheduled" emergency stop at Iceland for 3 hours)
- 04.10 San Francisco with Sea Lions, bridges and very cold spots under the golden gate bridge
- 05.10 San Francisco with wonderful views from little towers, cable cars and alcatraz
- 06.10 along the sea down the "one" over Santa Cruz some sea elephants to San Simeon
- 07.10 Visit of Mr. Hearst weekend house "hearst castle" near San Simeon and then down the road to Santa Barbara, Burbank, Glendale and finally Anaheim with Gardenwalk and Downtown Disney
- 08.10 Some spaces without visitors at the Universal Studios Hollywood and my first wonderful piece of Cheesecake from the best cakemakers on earth: The Cheesecake Factory
- 09.10 Hello Disneyland, the original
- 10.10 Disney´s California Adventure and more Disneyland
- 11.10 Again a wonderful day at the Disneyland Resort - the wheelchaired place on earth -
- 12.10 Downtown LA, Hollywood with a BIG sundae at Disney Soda Store then on and on an on to San Diego
- 13.10 San Diego Zoo, Old Town San Diego and Horton Plaza and Gaslamp Quarter
- 14.10 A wet experience at Sea World, cocktails at old town, Fishermen´s village and again the gaslamp quarter
- 15.10 San Diego Coronado with another "Disneyland Hotel", a wonderful beach and a move on toward palm springs
- 16.10 Driving Day from Palm Springs to Williams
- 17.10 Grand Canyon National Park
- 18.10 From William to Hoooover Dam, from Hoooover Dam to Las Vegas and the experience of flat screens in bathrooms in combination with Jacuzzis
- 19.10 Las Vegas Show day with "Le Rêve" at the Wynn
- 20.10 Las Vegas Fun Day
- 21.10 Bridgeday at Bakersfield meeting a meal at the elephant bar
- 22.10 Sacramento and meeting arnold schwarzeneggers assistant in front o arnold schwarzeneggers office
- 23.10 Fairfield Jelly Belly Factory and back to San Francisco
- 24.10 ONE DAY SALE AT MACYS!!!! and a nice meal at San Francisco´s FW
- 25.10 San Francisco Airport tooo-----> Frankfurt (26.10)
So that´s what we did so far, now I only have to fill this trip reports with pics and storys. Hard life. :mrgreen:
I look forward to it :wink:
Can't wait to read your thoughts of my birthplace and childhood home!
Whoa, that sounds like an amazing trip!!
Looking forward to hearing all about it!
Sounds like an amazing trip! I am eagerly awaiting your opinions and photos. :wink:
wow can't wait to hear all about it. I am planning something similar next year so any hints and tips will be gratefully received especially about drive down H1
Thank you all for your comments!
:)
I try to give much tips as possible bensmum.
Now Let´s start with day ONE
03.10 The Beginning: Frankfurt --> San Francisco
How nice a vacation can start. We start at Frankfurt Airport which is one of my favorit airports. After a cup of coffee and some snacks we get a very friendly check in at the United Desk. United has some special seat modification and cause the woman at the desk was thinking that me an my friend looks soooo nice and cute we get a little upgrade from economy to economy plus. The plus means 12 cm more space for your legs. That said I was very happy with this 12 cm cause my legs are a bit longer...
We were one of the first passengers that checked-in and so we were the first at the security control and the first at the passport control and the first that used the restrooms at the boarding waiting area. That was the best thing you could have. I went back to the restrooms later just to wash my hands and it looked terrible. But ok.
Let´s enter the plane.
Nice seating at the windows. We booked the flight in april and could choose which seats we want to have. That´s a good thing. Cause the seatsrows in the middle aren´t really comfortable. 5 seats in a row aren´t something to start your funtime, esp. if you´re seated in the middle. So the window places are something you all should reserve before you enter the airport.
I had a nice diner with some chicken, carrots and other things all togehter on my little desk. I had a nice movie in my television in the seat in front of me and then, just starting my second movie, I had a not so nice announcement by the captain himself.
Cause of a medical emergency we had to make a forced landing at Iceland.
I was never before in Iceland and that´s what I said to my friend. Another white spot we could handle on our journey. We saw some geysers and a lot of dark stones, then just the airport of iceland. This all was very interesting for the first 30 minutes. But after the first hour it was a bit boring. I don´t know if you knew it but you are not able to leave the plane while such emergency landings. Cause you are in the international nothing of nothing or so. So all I could see after this first hour were the butts of people standing in the walkway. Dark pictures.
After the first hour the captain told us that now they have to do some technical checks and some paperworks. unfortunately the iceland technic guy wasn´t trained in that big planes. So the captain had to help him and after the 2. hour of waiting all the captain and the stewardesses could say was "Paperworks! Just Paperworks!".
After the third hour [strike:2a9ta8ka]of Christmas[/strike:2a9ta8ka] of waiting in middle of butts we were ready to start again.
Okidoki. Back over the sea I start my avocation programm to forget all the butts while eating some snacks (MINI PRETZELS...a stewardess gave me MINI PRETZELS cause I looked so scared) and watching all the other movies. After 11 hours in a plane you are bored, tired and mad. After 11 hours + 3 waiting hours at Iceland in a plane you are BORED, TIRED AND MAD!!!!
blessedly the San Francisco Bay area was now in sight and I could look for all the little lights down there in the deep night. It was now around 11:00 PM and the night seems to be calm.
San Francisco welcomed us with a starry night and a joking passport inspector. The US needs our fingerprints (of all fingers) and our iris print for some kind of terror combat. So we gave them both which was a bit disgusting cause this fingerprint thing was very very very very very very very used...which means it was very very very very very clammy...not so nice if the next thing after the inspection is a big screen telling the danger of the swine flu.
I was a lucky guy finding a restroom next to the baggage claim. We reached the rental car station around 12:00 PM (We booked the rental car from germany cause that was cheaper) and choose no GPS. Why? The want to have 150 Dollar for it and you can buy one for just 100 at every electronic store in US.
So me, my friend and the map enter our car. I was the GPS he told me. I´m a good GPS normaly but SF was a bit big and my map a bit small so we made a short round through the streets till we found our hotel.
We stayed at the Galleria Park Hotel :arrow: //http://www.jdvhotels.com/galleria_park/?cid=gl_gph :!: at the finance district of San Francisco. That was a really good choice. It´s a nice little boutique hotel in downtown San francisco. And that mean that you can walk to a starbucks, to the ferry building, to macys, to westfields, to market street with this trolley cars, to union square, to the next cable car stop, to pier 39 (a bit away but also in a walking distance, if you don´t want to walk you can take the historic Trolley line F from Market Street (2 Dollars)), to china town.....and it was really comfortable. We had a kettle, tea, a mini bar, bath implements, a hairdryer, flat iron etc.etc. and all in a really nice looking room which was clean (important for germans) and big enough for our 4 suitcases. I really can recommend this little hotel in the heart of San Francisco´s Downtown. It was one of the best hotels of our journey.
After seeing our kettle, tea, a mini bar, bath implements, a hairdryer, flat iron etc.etc. we found our bed and were both really happy about it. In the first night we could´nt sleep very well. Jetlag. But some hours befor our day number 2 started.
Indeed it is a great location to stay in my birth city. Cannot wait to read more.
You should be a lucky guy to have this city as your birth city! Great one! :mrgreen: Mine is just saarbrücken...that´s not very impressive...
Saarland ist toll!
Looks like you had an amazing trip. I'm really looking forward to the parts with Burbank, Disneyland Resort, Hollywood and Las Vegas. So keep posting.
I loved Las Vegas. On our next trip to the US we plan also to visit California. If everything goes well it should be in 2011.
This is my dream trip. I'll do it someday. Can't wait to read more! :)
Wow -- can´t wait to read more :D/
What a great trip-route! Must have been fantastic!
Quote from: "davewasbaloo"Saarland ist toll!
:lol: :lol: Yes for a vacantion! But not if you saw california and had three warm weeks. Now just grey skies here....
Quote from: "Anthony"This is my dream trip. I'll do it someday. Can't wait to read more! :)
Quote from: "MagicStar"Wow -- can´t wait to read more :D/
What a great trip-route! Must have been fantastic!
Yes that´s a great route and I´m soooo sad to be back again :( The route planning wasn´t my idea, it was my friend who made this and he made it right! =D>
now day 2
04.10 San Francisco with Sea Lions, bridges and very cold spots under the golden gate bridgeFirst let me say: San Francisco isn´t that warm as you may imagine it. It has cold winds and fresh breezes from the sea. To in the morning and in the afternoon and evening you should have some clothes for this weather with you. That important if you are a person like me that is chilled through quiet easily.
Cause my friend was once before our trip at San Francisco I was very happy about this advice. We saw many one day tourists shivering in their summer dresses, shirts and shorts. I was happy with my pullover in the morning, during 11:00 AM and 16:00 AM was a warmer stage and so I was proud to pull my pullover away like a squirell in the morning.
We started our day around 09:00 AM a bit tired but intersted in this beautiful city. We strolled around the financial district toward Embarcadero Centre (Big shopping and office skyscraper). Opposite the center you will find the ferry building, where the port authority of San Francisco seems to have one of the oldest and nicest buildings of san francisco.
I was really impressed by the wonderfull old town skyscrapers at the financial district. There are so much beautiful Art Nouveau buildings in downtown and you could just think "There work and live people??? Really?? In this wonderful buildings?". So happy by the streetscenes we made our way to the Ferry Building and then on to the Embarcadero (the street). We walked along this great avenue the sea and the piers of the one site and the skyline of San Francisco on the other all the way down till Pier 39 and Fisherman´s Wharf.
There we bought a "protein breakfast" at starbucks (Bagel, Peanutbutter, fruits, egg...) and made our way to the benches at the wharf. You have a nice view here Alcatraz at the distance, ships, gulls and a point to you sit and have a look at the people around the bay.
After our breakfast we made our round at fisherman´s wharf and pier 39. Pier 39 is a nice restaurant and small shopping pier with a lot of fun. The best: A lot of friends of mine life there. I hearded them at the entrance and in the middle of the pier. Then I smelled them. Last step: I saw hunderts of Sea Lions scratching, howling, cuddling and living here at pier 39. Fun to se(a)e.
At the entrance of the pier we bought some tickets for a sight-seeing tour. They took a tour with a motorized cable car for the afternoon (2 PM). We had to take more clothes with us cause my friend said that this tours are a very very very cold thing. To come back to our hotel we choose the trolley car line. They have historic trolley cars at San Francisco and that´s a wonderful thing to come fast and with a bit of historical expirience from pier 39 to ferry building or market street.
We took our clothes and then we made another walk through the city. This time we choose a way from sutter street (were our hotel was) over Montgomery and California street to China Town. China Town is also something you have to see at San Francisco. I like this mix of diffrent styles and little details. They have own lamppost and such things there.
We found our way through this busy district down and up the hills, passing the peter and pauls church (Washington Square??) back to the seaside. Ready for our tour.
Our driver was Jim. And it was the last tour of the day. And that is the tour you should take toooooo (TIPPP!!!), cause Jim gives you then a bit of extra tour and he won´t take the time limit that earnest. Which means that you get the better, longer and more fun tour! Yippie!
At the tour you will get a short overview about everything you must see at San Francisco. (BUT TAKE WARM CLOTHES WITH YOU!!!!! ITS A OPEN CAR) Starting at Pier 39 we found our way on every hill of SF, we saw the nice homes and houses at noble hill, the big cathedral and churches (even the church where Sister Act took place) and the house of Mrs. doubtfire. The first bigger stop was at the palace of Fine Arts. What a nice ensemble. It´s a bit like paris in SF. They built it once for the Panama Pacific Exhibition (1915).
After this stop we made some others on our way toward golden gate bridge. Then we arrived the bridge. But not at the top, we were first under the bridge. Theres a little fort and on its roof you can find the coldest spot of San Francisco. And I must say our driver was right. It was the coldest spot of San Francisco and I was freezing like a squirell at Antarctica. After this we visit the bridge, made a walk to the middle and back and all this tourist things you do around the bridge. We drove back passing the Presidio, victorian houses, China Town and Downtown were we reached 3 hours after our start the pier again.
It was quiet a nice tour and we had a lot of fun with Jim and the others! We took a evening walk around fisherman´s wharf and had then a Tomato Soup in a bread at Boudins Bakery (seems to be a San Francisco monument, I never heard before but the soup was great)
Then we took the next Trolley back to our hotel cause we were really tired with just some hours of sleep.
The Pics of Day 2:
The Morning
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag1_1.jpg)
-Me in the morning, Alcatraz in the background at Fisherman´s Wharf
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag1_2.jpg)
-Pier 39
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag1_3.jpg)
-Our Trolley Back to the Hotel
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag1_4.jpg)
-Skyscraper
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag1_5.jpg)
-Our Street named "Sutter"
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag1_6.jpg)
-Our room
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag1_7.jpg)
Peter and Pauls Church
The Palace of Fine Arts Area: Look all that details!
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag1_8.jpg)
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag1_9.jpg)
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag1_10.jpg)
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag1_11.jpg)
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag1_12.jpg)
The rest of the Tour
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag1_13.jpg)
-City view
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag1_14.jpg)
-me and the golden gate bridge
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag1_15.jpg)
the golden gate bridge without me :lol:
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag1_16.jpg)
The coldest spot!
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag1_17.jpg)
- on the bridge
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag1_18.jpg)
-the fort from the bridge
Great pics, especially of the Golden Gate Bridge =D>
>>>peter and pauls church<<<
My great grandparents were the first couple married in that church!!! We have a family crypt there.
I'm loving the report, you are making me homesick.
Hey Riebi,
thanks for the awesome report and the great photos!
Is one week after getting back from Florida too early to plan the next vacation? :wink: You're giving us some amazing ideas!
Quote from: "Epcot_Boy"Great pics, especially of the Golden Gate Bridge =D>
Oh and I have so much more. I think I was a bit mad with the bridge :lol:
Quote from: "davewasbaloo">>>peter and pauls church<<<
My great grandparents were the first couple married in that church!!! We have a family crypt there.
I'm loving the report, you are making me homesick.
Wow!!! So i was standing next to the Baloos family crypt without knowing it???? THATS a small world after all! It´s a nice church and the place next to it also. it was full of lazy people sitting at the grass. And some small tents where they celebrated something.
Quote from: "experiment627"Hey Riebi,
thanks for the awesome report and the great photos!
Is one week after getting back from Florida too early to plan the next vacation? :wink: You're giving us some amazing ideas!
Oh its not to early! I planned my next trip on the way back home :lol: Also great florida report! I read it yesterday.
On the other hand why are you planning a trip, living in the wonderfull Zamonien (Korn Heim or Tatzeninseln?)
Now let´s start with
Day 3
05.10 San Francisco with wonderful views from little towers, cable cars and alcatraz
This night was the better one. I don´t now how fast the adjustment of a new time and world normaly takes but I can say the jetlag was history since morning of this day.
That said it sounds like a real fairytale cause now after 5 days of being home again I have still some problems. I think that means that I should move to california (or Zamonien maybe).
We took breakfast at a Starbucks near our hotel with a lot of men in suits. Financial district people.
So, I was fit for the day and happy to have my first visit to a Macy´s! Two things if learned from nanny fine: Visit Macy´s and Bloomingdales. So Macy´s at Union square was first.
It was just a short walk from our hotel to the union square, the wonderful westin hotel and the centre of the shopping district. The union square is a nice place and it seems that there are not that much tourists as at the pier areas.
Macy´s includes a Cheesecake factory and my friend had the idea to take their a short early lunch. But it was closed and cause I never was in a cheesecake factory before it doesnt bother me much. (That something that changed with my first piece of cheesecake at anaheim...)
They had a real nice holiday section with nice christmas cards (the cards at bloomingdales are even better). And they had a little salesperson shouting out that we must be Brits. We said no, germans. "OOOOOOOOOOOH GERMANS" screams she "how NICEEEE". Then she took us to the macy´s visitors center where we get some nice words and a macy´s discount card which gaves us 10 % at every macy´s from coast to coast.
"how NICE" said we. And after some looks around macy´s we walked down the streets of the shopping district to the westfield centre at market street which is the home of bloomingdales. They had no little screaming salesperson but nice christmas cards and free cookies.
We then decided to take the cable car. We bought a ticket one day earlier (5 $) at the cable car centre near fisherman´s wharf. It´s not recommendable to take the start point of the cable car line. We wanted to go to lombard street by using the Powell-Hyde line. The start point of this line is at the corner powell street/market street.
There are masses of tourists waiting for a car here. So we walked to the next stop at powell street (and next to union square).
Even here you have to wait some cable cars till you get one but that a matter of 15 minutes and down the street you have to wait over 45 minutes. So it´s ok.
It was a nice ride with the cable car cause we made a big part of the line (lombard street or the intricate part of it is a bit away from market street) and had so a very long cable car experience.
The cable car stopped above the intricate part of lombard street. So you have a nice view with coit tower in the distance. We walked down the street eating tuffys (cause we baught a lot of them the day before at pier 39) till we arrived again Peter and Pauls church. Cause we hadn´t time enough to go inside the day before we did this now and then we walked on up the hill to coit tower. It´s really steeply here.
Coit tower it a nice tower from 1933 at telegraph hill. You will have a nice overview here and it´s a bit like soarin´ over san francisco.
After nice views we made our way down the telegraph hill. There are little steps down toward embarcadero. This is a really quick and simple way to come back to the piers. We ate something at the Hard Rock Cafe at Pier 39, watched the sea lions again and went to the centre of fisherman´s wharf.
There we had to buy a new photocard cause we filled the first. (we had to lend a camera cause ours was broken just before our trip) The time was now right for our trip to Alcatraz. We booked a tour much much earlier via internet:
//http://www.alcatrazcruises.com/
We took the night tour cause that seems to be the most magical-scariest tour (and it was the best!!!) The pier where the ships to alcatraz leave is just a short distance from fisherman´s wharf.
The boarding was without any problems. You have just to show your printed tickets and the way to alcatraz is open.
It was a calm ride to alcatraz with a announcing sunset at the golden gate bridge and so we enter alcatraz island in the twilight. It was a oppressive adventure on the isle but a good one. I think you can´t understand the island better then while such a night tour.
And to get happy again you will have nice views: San Francisco Downtown by night. The tour isn´t something you can describe by words. Of course you see the cells of al capone and so on. But I was more shocked/impressed by the fact how small such cells are and the hospital was one of the scariest places in my life.
At the night tour they have special programm points where they explain more of the island and about famous inmates.
After some hours on the isle we decided to take the next ship back to reality. We walked through the nightly san francisco back to our hotel to get our minds clear again and took then some sweets on the bed.
Very cool. I cannot wait to hear more. Yep, my family were from Columbus Avenue (1331) my great great grandfather (who was a cable car driver before he became a fisherman on the wharf) built it. And my Great Grandmother worked in the Cannery (next to the cable car turnaround near the Maritime museum) as a young woman then as a rivitor in the ship yards during the war - she became the US west coast's 1st qualified engineer!
My family have a deep rooted history with the city, as one of the early Italian immigrants that settled North Beach. One of our family went on to be picked to play for a baseball team. You might have heard of him, Joe DiMaggio (married to Marline Monroe for a little while). His picture is also in DLP's hotel New York.
Wow! That´s really intersting cause I strolled around this old cannery buildings and read a book where they describe the hard work of the people there. I have to see you now with other eyes! Celebrity-Dave! :mrgreen:
It´s a bit like the living history is just a twinkle away if you just reports some things out of your family! Very interesting!!!! =D>
My pleasure. I am a keen historian, I love talking to people about our different histories. It is what makes life a rich tapestry.
And it´s really cool to hear all this things! especially if you was just at this places. And I was thinking all the time: Here live and work people?! How must this be.
Some pics from Day 2
The Morning
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag2_1.jpg)
-Playing father christmas at macy´s
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag2_2.jpg)
-cable car arrive
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag2_3.jpg)
-me at the cable car
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag2_4.jpg)
- I was one of the hang-out-guys! (The better tourists)
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag2_5.jpg)
-Lombard street
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag2_6.jpg)
-Lombard street
Coit Tower
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag2_7.jpg)
-My feets and lombard street
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag2_8.jpg)
-The tower
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag2_9.jpg)
-the history of the tower
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag2_10.jpg)
-on the tower
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag2_11.jpg)
-on the tower
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag2_12.jpg)
-tower plateau
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag2_13.jpg)
-steps down (me making the viewer belief that we go up)
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag2_14.jpg)
-hard rock meal
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag2_15.jpg)
-Pier 39
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag2_16.jpg)
-me with friends
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag2_17.jpg)
Fisherman´s Wharf sign
Alcatraz
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag2_18.jpg)
-way to the isle
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag2_19.jpg)
-alcatraz
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag2_20.jpg)
-sun at golden gate bridge
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag2_21.jpg)
-the whole island
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag2_22.jpg)
-city view
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag2_23.jpg)
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag2_24.jpg)
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag2_25.jpg)
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag2_26.jpg)
-the pier of alcatraz
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag2_27.jpg)
-arriving alcatraz
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag2_28.jpg)
-arriving alcatraz
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag2_29.jpg)
-pier area
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag2_30.jpg)
-the prison house
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag2_31.jpg)
-shower room where the new prisoners once arrived
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag2_32.jpg)
-the cells area
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag2_33.jpg)
-a cell ready for a prisoner
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag2_34.jpg)
-the operation room at the prisons hospital
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag2_35.jpg)
-hospital room
Day 4
06.10 along the sea down the "one" over Santa Cruz some sea elephants to San Simeon
Day 4 was our first driving day. We had a excelent "organic" breakfast at the cafe in our hotels building. (The new us "environment friendly" behavior and its outgrowths are really funny if you are european and 20 years forward but hey! they try something)
After this we leave our hotel and thank our GPS (we bought one at SF and named it Brigitte some days later) and a map we found our way out of the city. I was sad to leave San Francisco. In just two days I fell in love with this windy but wonderful city.
======Fazit San Francisco=========
San Francisco is a wonderful city to stay and to start a trip. It´s busy but not too much and have everywhere something to see. Even if the city isn´t that old like european cities you can feel a deep historic spirit. The wonderful architecture emphasise this. Everywhere - in a historic trolley, at the cable car, at the piers or in the centre of the city - you will find some places that are just unique and lovable.
The Galleria Park Hotel was the perfect location to get touched with the city. It´s at the center of the Financial district with everything you need next and with most of the attraction in a walking distance (and for the people who don´t like walking there is a trolley station just some steps away). The rooms are nice, clean and the staff gives you a very obliging service.
============================
Out of the city, we had our first stop next to a little beach. I went down the cliffs to the beach, saw some squirells (I LOVE THEM SOOO MUCH!) and had my feets into sandy grounds!
We drove down H 1 and had our first real stop at Santa Cruz. We visited the beachboardwalk, playing mini golf and having a snack. Then we continue our drive passing monterey and this wonderful landscape there. It´s really a nice highway and if you have the time you shouldn´t miss the landscape here.
Some miles before we get to our destination there was a little beach which was reserved for sea elephant. Impressing animals. It´s always good to find some new friends. They make completly diffrent noises then the sea lions by the way.
Around 5 PM we arrived our destination for the day: San Simeon. That´s a really little little littel "point" at the coast which has just some motels. We decided to take the Motel 6. It´s ok for one night but I think for a holliday not the best. But cause we just want to stay for one night it was ok.
Why San Simeon? Cause there lays one of the most enchanted and magical places of california. "Hearst Castle" is the old vacation home of a man named William R. Hearst. He was the first Rupert Murdoch and built this stately home on a lonley hill next to san simeon.
But about Hearst Castle we should learn more the next day. Cause for Day 4 we had just a short view of the hill (the enchanted hill) and the sea and then a nice little meal on our bed with a HBO movie.
Quote from: "Riebi"Quote from: "experiment627"Hey Riebi,
thanks for the awesome report and the great photos!
Is one week after getting back from Florida too early to plan the next vacation? :wink: You're giving us some amazing ideas!
Oh its not to early! I planned my next trip on the way back home :lol: Also great florida report! I read it yesterday.
On the other hand why are you planning a trip, living in the wonderfull Zamonien (Korn Heim or Tatzeninseln?)
I was thinking about getting a holiday cottage near the Great Forest. :wink:
By the way, did you book your holiday individually or did you also go through a tour operator?
We did a combination of those two for Florida... Worked out quite well...
Pics of Day 4
Good Bye SF
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag3_1.jpg)
-hotel room
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag3_2.jpg)
-view out of our window
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag3_3.jpg)
-view out of our window
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag3_4.jpg)
-view out of our window
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag3_5.jpg)
-the lobby
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag3_6.jpg)
-our hotel
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag3_7.jpg)
-our little roof garden
On the way towards San Simeon
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag3_8.jpg)
-me at the sea
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag3_9.jpg)
-playing PIRATES mini golf at santa cruz
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag3_10.jpg)
-santa cruz boardwalk
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag3_11.jpg)
-boardwalk detail
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag3_12.jpg)
-beautiful landscape
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag3_13.jpg)
-the sea elephants sleeping
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag3_14.jpg)
-motel 6 san simeon
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag3_15.jpg)
-view out of our room
Quote from: "experiment627"Quote from: "Riebi"Quote from: "experiment627"Hey Riebi,
thanks for the awesome report and the great photos!
Is one week after getting back from Florida too early to plan the next vacation? :wink: You're giving us some amazing ideas!
Oh its not to early! I planned my next trip on the way back home :lol: Also great florida report! I read it yesterday.
On the other hand why are you planning a trip, living in the wonderfull Zamonien (Korn Heim or Tatzeninseln?)
I was thinking about getting a holiday cottage near the Great Forest. :wink:
By the way, did you book your holiday individually or did you also go through a tour operator?
We did a combination of those two for Florida... Worked out quite well...
Oh Zamonien Riviera! Something for the rich and famous!
We had a individual holiday. We booked the flights in april (travel agency), hotels for San Francisco, Anaheim, Las Vegas in June (via expedia.de), a California City pass (travel agency), Rental Car in September via ADAC and the Motels on our way were all without any bookings. Was travelling without problems. Had never before a full individual holiday so I was surprised that we hadn´t any problems :lol:
Which part of your trip was individual and which via tour operator?
With Santa Cruz, besides having one of the world's earliest roller coasters, and a great mission, it was also the town in Lost Boys - lol.
Exp627 - I would never recommend a tour operator for California except for very specific things like a Napa Winery tour or something of that nature. Or a trip to Yosemite or Sequoia if frightened of driving the mountain roads (which these parks are the most beautiful part of California IMHO).
We did 4 weeks in California a few years ago and we spent 20% of what a tour operator wanted, and we stayed mainly 4 and 5* except for the Holiday Inn Express Santa Barbara. Use priceline for your hotel needs, you can get a 5* for about 60 euro a night if lucky.
Quote from: "Riebi"Which part of your trip was individual and which via tour operator?
Thanks for your reply!
We booked most of the hotels and the rental car through DERTOUR. (They are more specialised in adding individual elements to your itinerary than most tour operators.) The main reason to book the car through the tour operator was the additional insurance: should we have been involved in an accident, this insurance would have covered up to 1,5 million dollars in legal costs etc. - I thought this would be a wise choice when travelling in the US.
The hotel in Orlando (first two nights), the Sheraton Sand Key Resort in Clearwater Beach and the hotel in Naples was also booked through them. It actually came out cheaper than individual bookings at each of these places.
As most tour operators only have a limited offer when it comes to hotels on the Atlantic coast, I booked our Holiday Inn in Vero Beach directly.
A CM friend of mine booked Animal Kingdom Lodge for us.
That said, planning and booking our week at WDW was probably the most complicated part about our holiday itinerary. Disney does not really make it easy to plan a vacation with them... (With all the options and the extra stuff that needs to be considered.)
Quote from: "davewasbaloo"Exp627 - I would never recommend a tour operator for California except for very specific things like a Napa Winery tour or something of that nature. Or a trip to Yosemite or Sequoia if frightened of driving the mountain roads (which these parks are the most beautiful part of California IMHO).
I would not really book a full itinerary through any tour operator. But I would definitely check the hotels that they have got on offer.
But yeah, for California most of the itineraries sound a bit boring - at least to me... (Most include Las Vegas, which I am not really interested in...)
Exp627 - let me know when you start planning, I am sure I can come up with something you'd love - art galleries, skiing, surfing, scuba diving, theme parks, deserts, live music, bears, whales, trees, mexican heritage, japanese and chinese heritage, ghost towns, 5* oppulance, cheap safe places.
California has so much to offer. People automatically think Florida, but after the parks and Kennedy Space Centre, there is not much to offer (beaches and some wildlife, but not as varied as California)
Vegas is great for dining and stage shows, no doubt about that. Some of the rides and coasters are fun too. It is interesting, but not a priority. Though it is a great place to take off from for a Helicopter tour of the amazing Grand Canyon.
I can't wait to see San Francisco and California, but I have to wait until 2011. Your trip report is very nice and your pictures are great. My girlfriend loves the sealion pictures.
Which meal did you have at the Hard Rock Cafe? We are big fans of the Hard Rock Cafe and we always eat the Veggie Burger. Good to know that there is one in SF.
I'm looking forward to your next parts.
Quote from: "experiment627"Quote from: "Riebi"Which part of your trip was individual and which via tour operator?
Thanks for your reply!
We booked most of the hotels and the rental car through DERTOUR. (They are more specialised in adding individual elements to your itinerary than most tour operators.) The main reason to book the car through the tour operator was the additional insurance: should we have been involved in an accident, this insurance would have covered up to 1,5 million dollars in legal costs etc. - I thought this would be a wise choice when travelling in the US.
DERTOUR was also a good compendium for us while our planning. And it gives you a good impression about prices, possibilities and a good view of the hotels.
We got also a DERTOUR USA Straßenatlas from them :D/ which was a good thing cause you have all the cities you need and all maps in one booklet.
I think we booked the city pass from them (via travel agency).
Quote from: "davewasbaloo"Vegas is great for dining and stage shows, no doubt about that. Some of the rides and coasters are fun too. It is interesting, but not a priority.
That´s one of the best descriptions of LV ever :lol:
Quote from: "dagobert"I can't wait to see San Francisco and California, but I have to wait until 2011. Your trip report is very nice and your pictures are great. My girlfriend loves the sealion pictures.
Which meal did you have at the Hard Rock Cafe? We are big fans of the Hard Rock Cafe and we always eat the Veggie Burger. Good to know that there is one in SF.
I'm looking forward to your next parts.
It was this here:
Hard Rock Nachos
Fresh corn tortilla chips piled high with Jack
and Cheddar cheeses and seasoned pinto beans.
Served with sour cream, chopped green onions,
pico de gallo, jalapeños and a side of fresh Hard
Rock Grilled Salsa. Big enough to share.
Add Grilled Chicken, Bar-B-Que Pulled Pork or
Grilled Fajita Beef for an additional charge.
I added the grilled chicken. It was just a "starter" but it was enough for the rest of the day :mrgreen:
There are much hard rock cafes at California (hollywood, San Diego, Sacramento, San Francisco). There . My friend collect "jiggers" from hard rock cafe so he was happy that there is now a second one at Las Vegas (Las Vegas - the strip).
The sealions are cool! And the sea elephants too! But also all the other animals. It was very cute to see that you fiend friends at every beach there. I loved the squirells!
thanksfor a wonderful trip report and I have to say thanks for all the other contributors i am picking up lots of tips for my trip. I will probably start a thread mysef to avoid muscling into yours but have just booked my flight to SanFrancisco for April next year. Returning from Hartford as will fly over there after two weeks in California. Plan to dive down the coast and hit Disneyland and another theme park while visiting relatives. I am loving the reports and the pictures. =D>
Meine Fresse!
Riebi -- I would like to plan my next USA-Trip NOW!
Look fantastic. Especially the hard rock meal.
I remember a pic with you and huge Cup of ICE CREAM.
You had the same dreamy facial expression there :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
Quote from: "Riebi"We got also a DERTOUR USA Straßenatlas from them :D/ which was a good thing cause you have all the cities you need and all maps in one booklet.
I have got the very same road atlas filed away on my book shelf now. :wink:
Dertour is simply the best...
Quote from: "bensmum"thanksfor a wonderful trip report and I have to say thanks for all the other contributors i am picking up lots of tips for my trip. I will probably start a thread mysef to avoid muscling into yours but have just booked my flight to SanFrancisco for April next year. Returning from Hartford as will fly over there after two weeks in California. Plan to dive down the coast and hit Disneyland and another theme park while visiting relatives. I am loving the reports and the pictures. =D>
Wow sounds great! Have you a place for such a nice person like me? :mrgreen:
Quote from: "MagicStar"Meine Fresse!
Riebi -- I would like to plan my next USA-Trip NOW!
Look fantastic. Especially the hard rock meal.
I remember a pic with you and huge Cup of ICE CREAM.
You had the same dreamy facial expression there :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
Same feeling:-) But you should see the pics where I eat an enormous Disney´s Soda Shop Sundae :mrgreen:
Quote from: "experiment627"Dertour is simply the best...
Yes great service!
Nooow:
Day 5
07.10 Visit of Mr. Hearst weekend house "hearst castle" near San Simeon and then down the road to Santa Barbara, Burbank, Glendale and finally Anaheim with Gardenwalk and Downtown Disney
Ok where was I with my report...ah...San Simeon! Day 5 was full of things that happend. So let´s start with the morning. After a really cold night (it seems that the windows of the motel 6 San Simeon are not the best on a energy efficiency point of view) we had a bad coffee at the motel 6 lobby.
Then we were ready to leave this place and find something new (from hell to heaven): The Enchanted Hill next to San Simeon an on top of it: Hearst Castle.
If you want to visit Hearst castle you have to drive to the visitors center. It´s not possible to drive directly to the manor cause they only provide personal guided tours. The visitors center is next to the entrance to the Hearst estate and next to the hearst families airport. That said you can imagine how big the estate really is.
At the Hearst-Castle visitor center you can book your guided tours, you will find a restaurant, a souvenir shop of course and a cinema with a movie about the building process of hearst castle. There are several tours you can choose from. All have diffrent focal points. That because the enchanted hill - where the castle is build - is that big and the manor itself is also a big home.
This are the tours you will find:
Tour 1 - Experience Tour
Experience Tour - the main tour of the Castle, recommended for the first time visitor. The least strenuous of the tours, provides a broad overview of all facets of the Castle. It also includes a ticket to the large format film playing at the Hearst Castle Theater - Hearst Castle Building the Dream. (Tour 1)
Tour 2 - Upper Floors of Casa Grande
Upper Floors of Casa Grande - focuses on architectural elements of the main house (Casa Grande) and the art collection. Includes Hearst's private suite and the kitchen. (Tour 2)
Tour 3 - North Wing of Casa Grande
North Wing of Casa Grande - provides an overview of the construction and development of the Castle by contrasting the earliest guest house with the most recent work on the North Wing. (Tour 3)
Tour 4 - Garden Tour
Garden Tour - includes the estate's botanical gardens, terraces and walkways. Also includes the largest guest house (Casa del Mar) and a close look at the wine cellar. (Tour 4)
Garden Tour is offered April through October.
Also there is a night tour on some dates. Sadly not at the evening before:
Tour 5 - Evening Tour
Evening Tour - Allows visitors to experience the Castle at night as a visitor to the Castle in the 1930s might have. Features highlights from the Experience, Upper Floors of Casa Grande, and Garden tours. (Tour 5)
Evening tours run from March through May and September through December 30 on most Fridays and Saturdays. Additional nights are added during holiday periods and during the month of April will run every night April 6-18 with the exception of Sundays. Also there will be NO evening tour May 22, 23, September 12, 26, Oct 2 and Dec 5 2009.
More informations: //http://www.hearstcastle.com (also a nice virtual tour)
We took the "Experience Tour" Wish included the pools, a guest house and some rooms of the first floor of Casa Grande (the main house). You get to the mansion by a hearst castle bus. You drive up the hill through the landscape of mr. hearst estimate. We saw some african animals out there, which are the remains of Mr. Hearst Zoo. He had once the biggest private zoo in the world.
While we heared music from the twenties and a voice explained all we saw on our climb we arrived the castle area itself. A guide disguised as mr. hearst welcomed us at the property. After some explaining words to not touch something on the hill we start the tour. First stop was the wonderfull terrace next to one of the guest houses. Here you have a wonderful view over the hills and over the sea.
After this we stopped at the neptune pool (the outdoor pool) which is a wonderful place for a little swim, but also for a rest after a hard working day. After the pool we visited one of the guest houses, which are named after the view they have (Casa del mar (living room windows with views to the sea), Casa del Monte (to the mountains), Casa del Sol (to the sunset)). They are wonderful furnished. The style is mediterranean/oriental and it has some bedrooms and a big living room.
And that´s it cause Mr. Hearst wanted that his guests come over to his main house to have fun, a card play or a movie in his private cinema or they should do something under the sky.
After a short stop at the court between the guest houses and casa grande we entered the main building. It´s such a impressive building. The rooms are full of antiques, arts, tapestry (Gobelins) - most from the 14. or 15. century. The newer pieces are made like their antique complements and it´s a very fitting ensemble which Mrs. Morgan (the architect) and Mr. Hearst created.
We saw the libary/living room, the dining room, the morning room and some other room. At the end we watched a movie from Mr. Hearsts private home movies in his cinema room.
After this we strolled over the tennis court (where charly chaplin and clark gable playes once). Our final was then the Roman Pool, which was Mr. Hearst indoor Pool under the tennis court.
Then our time at the enchanted hill was over and we went back (via some old enclosures of the former zoo) to the visitors center.
I can really recommend a visit of Hearst Castle, that´s one of the places that are even better designed as Disneyland.
With the tour end our time at San simeon had an end too and we then drove down the route toward LA. Again wonderful landscape and so on till we arrived Santa Barbara - our stop for lunch. This is a beauftifull little city that looks like somewhere in spain. Remembers me much at villages of Gran Canaria mixed with some american small town flair.
We had a walk trough the many pedestrian areas and small courtyards and had then a stop for our meal.
Back on road I was very very very very very very very very very very very excited cause our next stops should be Burbank, Glendale and of cour Anaheim. So my friend had a hard drive cause I think I was talking to much and eating to much little snacks in little plastic bags and he said that I´m silly cause I was that excited about a movie studio and something he never heared about: WDI. (Yes he goes with me to DLP since 3 years but he never heard before WDI)
So as we were on the burbank exit he thought he´s with a mad rabbit or else. Just a bow and then in front of me was the Disney Studios! And of course the Animation building, which makes me even more excited.
He seems to be also happy to be there;-)
After our Disney Studio visit we took our next destination: Glendale Flower Street. We found the WDI building immediately and I was even more excited as for the Disney Studios. He was calm. Asking me what they do. "They design the parks! They design the parks!" shouted the mad rabbit. "The parks?" "YES THE PARKS! THE ATTRACTIONS AND ALL THIS THINGS, THE PARKS" shouted the mad rabbit. "Ah, ok" he said. "No not ok! THE PARKS!" the rabbit again. I made some pics. I forced him to make some pics of me in front of.
"ISN`T THAT A THING! WE HERE!" after a asking gaze of a security person the rabbit tried to get his excitment into frontiers.
Ok my friend get me back in the car cause he said that we will drive now to Disneyland.
Next excitment.
Finding the hotel. Checked in. Run to Disneyland Resort. Walk through Downtown Disney aaaand the Anaheim gardenwalk. We saw the firework of Disneyland at Downtown Disney and it was great. We saw people going to a trick or tread party and it was great (the costumes are that good at USA). We ate something at the Cheesecake Factory and it was great. We decided that we eat the cake of the Cheesecake Factory one day later cause our belly was that great full. We strolled a bit around at Garden Walk and Downtown Disney and it was great too.
Short: It was a great day from start to end!
Sounds like a very fun day. Shame you missed Mission Santa Barbara when you stopped for lunch. It is very beautiful, and interesting to see Spanish and American history colliding.
Did you take a tour through the Disney Studios or doesn't Disney offer tours?
Quote from: "davewasbaloo"Sounds like a very fun day. Shame you missed Mission Santa Barbara when you stopped for lunch. It is very beautiful, and interesting to see Spanish and American history colliding.
We did it by driving past.. :( But I had in the whole city the feeling to be in spain. Which is really funny if you must say to your self "noo its us" all the time.
Quote from: "dagobert"Did you take a tour through the Disney Studios or doesn't Disney offer tours?
I didn´t take a tour there and I don´t know if they have something like this. I saw a lot of hard looking security guys :lol:
Pics of Day 5:
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag4_1.jpg)
Hearst Castle in the distance -a l l hearst land
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag4_2.jpg)
hearst castle sign
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag4_3.jpg)
stairways to the terrasses
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag4_4.jpg)
details
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag4_5.jpg)
one of the guest houses
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag4_6.jpg)
Neptun Pool
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag4_7.jpg)
Neptun Pool Detail
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag4_8.jpg)
Neptun Pool second floor
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag4_9.jpg)
guest house
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag4_10.jpg)
guest house
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag4_11.jpg)
guest room
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag4_12.jpg)
garden sculpture
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag4_13.jpg)
view
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag4_14.jpg)
egyptian sculptures (have I said that we talk here about original scultpures from the egypt empire? over 3000 years old) and casa grande main entrance
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag4_15.jpg)
parts of casa grande
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag4_16.jpg)
casa grande main entrance
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag4_17.jpg)
dining room
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag4_18.jpg)
roman pool
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag4_19.jpg)
last view to the enchanted hill
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag4_20.jpg)
Santa Barbara
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag4_21.jpg)
without words
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag4_22.jpg)
WDI
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag4_23.jpg)
Downtown Disney
Day 6
08.10 Some spaces without visitors at the Universal Studios Hollywood and my first wonderful piece of Cheesecake from the best cakemakers on earth: The Cheesecake Factory
"Long" sleeeeep day. We went to the breakfast around 9:00 and we were some of the last people in the room. Wonderful view toward Disneyland and Disneys California Adventure. That was a bit silly cause if you know the european resort you wouldn´t think that a Disney Park could be in the middle of a city.
So that was a totally new point. Anaheim by day is a well cultivated city. Not much dirt on the streets, no holes in the asphalt. But it´s a city. And then let me say ten meters ahead there´s a disney resort inside.
Not much parks and green and firstly I was thinking that that doesn´t fit very well but after my days of staying it was ok.
Our first aim for the day was to get our Southern California City Pass. That´s something that will save you much money if you are interested in theme park adventures. (there is also one for other cities/regions. For example San Francisco, cause our time in San Francisco was splitted in two parts.)
That´s what´s inside the SCCP:
3-Day Disneyland Resort Park Hopper Bonus Ticket: valid for back-and-forth admission to both Disneyland Park and Disney's California Adventure Park; also includes one Magic Morning early Disneyland park entry (on Sat, Sun, Tues, or Thurs)
Universal Studios Hollywood: one-day general admission
SeaWorld: one-day general admission including all shows
Option Ticket: Choose to visit either the San Diego Zoo: one-Day Pass including unlimited use of Guided Bus Tour, Express Bus and Skyfari Aerial Tram
OR San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park: one-Day Pass which includes the Journey Into Africa Tour, Conservation Carousel Ride, and all shows and exhibits
Cause we planned to visit all this attractions it was a good deal for us. You´ll save around 100 $. If you aren´t interested in one attraction it should even be a good deal. I think the limit is two attractions.
We booked it at our travel agency but you can also get it here: www.citypass.com (http://www.citypass.com)
You will only get your "real" ticket at the Disneyland Resort. So that was our first stop at the day. My friend lined up, I took some pictures of the DCA entrance and then he needed me again cause they needed my ID and other things to pretend that it´s me at the ticket counter and not someone else (The US-People seems to have a real obsession in this. I never ever had to show my ID that often. Think next step will be to show your id if you order meal at Mc Donalds)
We get a 3 Day Park hopper ticket, a magical morning ticket and a voucher for the rest of the ticket. With this thing you have to go to the guest relations or city hall (Guest relations outside the parks, city hall inside Disneyland Park)
Cause it was already around 11:00 AM we wouldn´t spend the day at Disneyland. It´s better to have a full day at the park (Opening at 8:00 AM).
So we drove to Universal Studios. Thanks Brigitte (new name of our GPS) we found it without any problems and so we were at the studio gates around 12 AM.
I had a some sorrows that we wouldn´t see everything cause the late time and the early closing time of Universal studios. But that was causeless. We enter the studios and startet first with the simpsons ride with a 20 minutes waiting time. "Oh that´s not that long" we said. It was the longest waiting time for the whole day. Seems that they hadn´t that much people in the park. After simpson we went the big stairways down to the other level. We made Jurassic Park without waiting time - an OK-ride but a bit short (as everything except simpsons at the park).
We made our way through the studios got the special effects tour without waiting (great show, much better then armageddon...) we took the Mummy without waiting time (the ride is ok but to short. As the ride stopped (you see a black wall without anything) we had both the opinion that now the main part would start. But the wall opened and there was the boarding area again....)
then we took a meal at the pizza hut express and after that we found the Backdraft show a bit boring for the most parts. The last part was great but this explaining things before...not my cup of tea. After the little movie museum at this level we were both surprised that we done all the things on this level. So we moved back to the top level to do the studio tram tour. (better then WDS)
Then we did the House of Horrors which was fun because a chinese woman in our group was sooo scared that she screamed all the time. We had then Shrek 4 D (good movie. Not the best 4 D movie ever but ok), the Waterworld show (kool stuntshow), the pets-show and that was it. Terminator was closed. Not much to do. it was around 4:30 PM and we done the whole park in just 4,5 hours. It´s a really small park. You wouldn´t know it if you see Universal City and the big entrance. But after all its a really small park. We were both a bit disapointed and seeing the high entrance prices we were even happier to took the City Pass.
I think they can´t take that much money for Universal Studios Hollywood! But ok. We left the park, strolled around Universal city. Universal city remembers me much at Festival Disney / Disney village in the first years. It´s a bit like they did the concept right and developmented it right. Without ripping out all the signs, effects and theme without any replacement. It was a bit as somebody would say "And that could it be if you just develope it in a good way".
Sad but Universal city was better then the studios. (and it was funny to see a ferrero rocher box which you could buy for 14 $!!!! delicatessen. )
So we returned very early. But that was ok. We searched for a meal at the Anaheim Garden Walk but we didn´t found something that we liked. Except: Our dessert at the cheesecake Factory. We took the Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake and the Fresh Banana Cream Cheesecake "to go". They served it in nice decorated boxes and so we took our to pieces of cheesecake and 2 cheeseburgers at Mc Donalds (yes both with cheese!) and went to our room. To eat this pieces of cake was one of the best things happend in my life.
It´s just the best cake ever. Now I´m a cheesecake factory junkie. Hard life, I know!
Interesting. I really like USH because it is a real studio rather than a theme park. But true, they keep cutting back. When I was a kid, there were 5 or 6 different stunt shows on offer. It was much better back then. But I still like it now.
Also, I am surprise you did not opt to eat your main meal at the Cheesecake factory, they are great too, in fact we often eat the mains there and don't bother with the cheesecake.
Thanks for posting. Have I missed where you stayed in LA?
Quote from: "davewasbaloo"Interesting. I really like USH because it is a real studio rather than a theme park. But true, they keep cutting back. When I was a kid, there were 5 or 6 different stunt shows on offer. It was much better back then. But I still like it now.
I think it was just the mix there. It was all a bit tacky and the "cast members" hadn´t the best behavior. It´s a good theme park for a day but I think my expectations were a bit higher then just a studio theme park. And I think I was a bit shocked that we did the whole park in a shorter time then WDS.
Quote from: "davewasbaloo"Also, I am surprise you did not opt to eat your main meal at the Cheesecake factory, they are great too, in fact we often eat the mains there and don't bother with the cheesecake.
Oh we had the a great meal the day before. But at this day we couldn´t eat a piece of cake cause the mains were sooooo much food!
Quote from: "bensmum"Thanks for posting. Have I missed where you stayed in LA?
We stayed at Anaheim Carousel Inn. I had the fear that it could end into a desaster cause I haven´t heared good things about the hotel before (but my friend booked it already and it was to late to switch...)but I must say it was a good and clean hotel and I haven´t much negative about it. Except that a lamp was broken-down. But because in nearly every hotel room of our journey (only exception Las Vegas) was something broken-down and one lamp wasn´t that hard it doesn´t matter. (Hotel rank list: 1. Las Vegas; 2. San Francisco; 3. Anaheim; big gap; Sacramento; little gap; other cities with most worse expierence at the motel 6 at the San Fran Airport....)
Here now some pics of Day 6
Universal Studios
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag5_1.jpg)
At the globe
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag5_2.jpg)
We should be happy with the pumpkin man. Some decorations were just old garbage bags.
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag5_3.jpg)
The simpsons Ride is one of my favorits of USH
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag5_4.jpg)
Warner and Disney Studios in the Distance
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag5_5.jpg)
Jurrrraaaassssic Park. Short but effectiv.
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag5_6.jpg)
some better decorations
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag5_7.jpg)
one of our highlights of the day!
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag5_8.jpg)
Remembers me at Festival Disney 1993. A fish to take photos!
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag5_9.jpg)
Universal City - the developed festival Disney
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag5_10.jpg)
Universal City - the developed festival Disney
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag5_11.jpg)
Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag5_12.jpg)
Fresh Banana Cream Cheesecake
The cheesecakes look so delicious. Now I'm a little bit diappointed that I haven't been to the Cheesecake Factory in the US.
Doesn't Universal offer a Studio Tram Tour through the real movie studio? Or did I miss it in your report?
Quote from: "dagobert"Doesn't Universal offer a Studio Tram Tour through the real movie studio? Or did I miss it in your report?
That is the whole reason to go, and why I do not like the park in Florida as mush. USH is a real studio and the tram tour gives a behind the scenes tour. WHen I was a kid, the bit where Jurrassic Park, the Mummy, the SFX tour and Backdraft is used to also be a part of the real studios and tour. The tour used to be a 3 or 4 hour affair, with props and shows on the top part of the lot. It was more of an edutainment centre than a hodge podge theme park. And I must admit, I preferred it that way.
Oh the studio tour is much much much much much better then the WDS Tour. But it´s the rest of the park that doesn´t fit much.
Quote from: "davewasbaloo"Quote from: "dagobert"Doesn't Universal offer a Studio Tram Tour through the real movie studio? Or did I miss it in your report?
That is the whole reason to go, and why I do not like the park in Florida as mush. USH is a real studio and the tram tour gives a behind the scenes tour. WHen I was a kid, the bit where Jurrassic Park, the Mummy, the SFX tour and Backdraft is used to also be a part of the real studios and tour. The tour used to be a 3 or 4 hour affair, with props and shows on the top part of the lot. It was more of an edutainment centre than a hodge podge theme park. And I must admit, I preferred it that way.
That must have been great times. I think I would like it more this "old" way. This was more as they want to try to be no working studio. (Maybe it doesn´t impressed me that much cause I´ve worked long time at production stages :wink: so a film set and game shows aren´t very impressive for me)
Day 7 Part I
Hurray! Disneyland Day! That was a early bird day for us. We had an early breakfast at the hotel, gored our donuts and coffee, took our bags and things we needed for the day and soon we left the hotel – destination disneyland.
I was again surprised about the location of the resort. It´s a bit like walking through your city and in place of your town market place/church/Town Square or else is a disneyland resort. You can clearly see why they had the dream to build something like WDW. On the other hand Anaheim seems to try everything to keep the area clean an proper. And it´s an interesting diffrence to have a resort directly in the center of a city.
By the way: The security checks have the same décor as in Paris. Sorry but they haven´t wonderful themed holy land security checks with flowers all over and a light show (And I don´t need that for a security check). But the security Cast Members are diffrent. Seems to be mostly some pensioners instead of our business like security guys. And they have nice uniforms.
But now to the main attraction. Disneyland Park! It was great to step again in this diffrent world. They have an other ticket system with a ,,sparkling" sound for every guest. Our first attraction was Main Street Station where we waited for the Disneyland Railroad. Not much people there, completly diffrent to paris where main street station seems to bet he first attraction of everybody in the park. Better for us. We took the full tour around the park. Bigger panorama scenes but you see also some not so nice corners where they seem to have not much berm/trees at the berm and tried to cover this fact with some tarpaulin. But ok. Most of the tour is the same. They have the better explication while the ride. You get a full report of everything you see and thats something that I often missed at Paris.
After our tour we had our traditional walk on Main Street USA. It´s all a bit smaller and not that elaborate here but also a nice street. I loved the little open air café/restaurant. There is always something to watch. Always a vehicle on street and very often the horse tram.
We reached Central Plaza, made the traditional Partner statue pics and castle pics and enter then Adventureland. There was an extreme long queue that reached to the Indiana Jones Fast Pass station. (We were first thinking that this was the indiana jones queue but no. Just fast pass.) The waiting time for Indiana Jones was around 30 minutes so we don´t get why they all took this fast passes. We decided to start the day calm and walked on the tree house next to indiana jones. This comic tree house looks a bit dull. I ask me what they will do in one or two years. At the moment there aren´t that much people interestet in Tarzan.
After Tarzan we had a walk along the street and we stepped into another land. Then I turned around and around and ask my friend (it was his second time in the park) ,,Where´s the rest of Adventureland?". ,,That was it", he said. ,,oh". The Adventureland of Disneyland is extremly small! Just some trees and some attractions at one small street. That´s a bit sad if you are familiar with the wide wooden jungle ways with an Adventure Isle in the middle. But ok, that´s life.
We crossed New Orleans Square and enter pirates of the caribean. I like this version of pirates also. I can´t say on is better then the other. I like both. They are just diffrent and this smoke effect is really impressive. The best: We had a waiting time under 5 minutes. The biggest diffrence was for me the queue. It´s a real short indoor queue and a long not that interesting outdoor queue.
After our Adventure at the wild sea we were ready for a spooky one. The Haunted Mansion was our next stop. We had the luck to see it in its halloween/holiday costume. I was first a bit sceptical about Nightmare before Christmas at haunted mansion but I must say it was one of the best attractions ever. The well themed and decorated gardens are a nice prelude to the lift scene where jack the pumpkin king laught loud over your head. The attraction is soooo wonderful in this scary christmas deco! A absolute must! And again just 10 minutes waiting time.
On our route through the land we changed again the theming and entered critter country. Really nice area. And it has the next new favorite attraction of Riebi: Winnie the pooh...just kidding...Splash Mountain! Again just 10 Minutes to wait and a great ride with a little boy in front which always just said things like ,,Oh my good I die here...". Loved the attraction and loved the splashes! Great fun! Should be at paris as soon as possible.
Then we went to our next adventure: The canooooooos. Such fun! It´s great that this attraction still excist there and it makes much more pleasure to take a round with this little boats then to take one with the steamers. We had so much fun on the rivers!
We decided then to take a fast pass for Big Thunder Mountain and took then the round to Fantasyland and there to Toon Town where we had a hot dog. Nice themed area. I like it. But I think it would be a problem at paris. Not because of the theming but because of the refurb. I think toon town is one of this areas where you have to kept your paint with you every half year. Without this fresh paint look it will look very cheap and ugly. Thanks god Disneyland seems to have enough paint for Toon Town.
I can't wait for the rest of your Disneyland report and of course your pictures. Your comparisons with DLRP are very interesting.
More, more, more!!
Fantastic report so far Riebi, I would give so much to go on a trip to California like you have, and I pray that one day I will :P
I'm glad you had a great time and I'm looking forward to seeing some more of this report :)
Thank you all!
I start now with part II of our first disneyland day:
After Toon Town and our hot dog we saw the ,,parade". It´s not a real parade. At Paris they would say it´s a cavalcade. There are some party floats (celebrate a street party floats) that try to keep the celebration going. It´s a nice little show with many effects and variety. It´s the right thing for a celebration year. Not to big and not to small. And it seem much more on peoples mind then our Mickey´s magical party show. The sad thing: It´s the only ,,parade" at Disneyland and if you see it just as a cavalcade you get clear that Disneyland Park hadn´t a real parade during my visit.
We took then a nice tour at Autopia, a fast pass for Space Mountain and a little rest at central plaza.
By the way the whole celebration thing is much quieter and nicer then MMP at Paris. It has more to do with the people at the park and not that much with characters and rubber heads. The deco is much nicer and fits better and they had many little idea (for little money I think) but with big success. For example every guest who celebrate something gets a big button with the thing on it he celebrate. ,,Today is the Anthony´s Birthday Party" or else. (,,We celebrate our engagement", ,,I celebrate my first visit to DL".... such things) Most were this birthday buttons. Always a Cast Member saw one of the buttons he shoulded loud out ,,OOOOH it´s Anthony´s Birthday today! Let´s give him a happy birthday wish everybody". Which means that the whole queue was shouting ,,HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANTHONY!" and other things. Was quiet fun and I never heard a Happy Birthday that often.
After this cavalcade we went on indiana jones. Crossing Main Street we realized that they had now the music on. In the morning they had forget to turn it on so we were happy to have this familiar tunes now on Main Street.
Then Indiana Jones: I was a bit disapointed by the first part of the queue (outside). It shows again how small adventureland is. The outside part is very squeezed between the treehouse and the jungle cruise. And the whole area looks too small for Indy. But the inside of Indiana Jones is all cool. Nice temple ambiance, wonderful ride (even if some effects seems to cry ,,REFURB ME". Would love to have an updated version of this at Paris.
We made the little castle walkthrough (next to the castle) and then our Big Thunder Mountain Fast Pass was ready. Big Thunder Mountain is diffrent from the Paris version. Not completly but you are waiting for your train while you stand inside the mountain area. It looks all again a bit smaller then paris but also intimate. It´s the area of Disneyland that looks most like our Frontierland. The ride itself was great.
After Big Thunder our Space Mountain Fast Pass was right and we entered the Ghost Galaxy. It´s a nice overlay. Nothing for the victorian Paris but nice for this type of space Mountain. Space mountain is not that fast but they have some good effects at the launch area.
We made another space adventure: Star Tours. Mostly the same as in Paris. After that we were a bit hungry.
We went to a little mexican restaurant at Frontierland. Yummy mexican taccoooo salad! Was a real good meal! And something totally diffrent to the paris food location. We were sitting outside, nice theming, nice evening.
Then we had not so nice evening experiences. Frontierland and the area in front of the rivers of america were full of people. All waiting for the fantasmic show. They waited since 3 PM fort his show. I can´t understand this peoples but ok. They are crazy. They block the area since 3 PM with wheelchairs, strollers and blankets. That to see was horrible. Was like a Mallorca vacation. One person of a family were waiting at the blanket/wheelchair/stroller while the others had some fun then they changed again and another person of a family was waiting. They done this the whole day since 3 PM!!! That means that after our evening meal there was simply not much place to go to central plaza or doing something other then waiting for Fantasmic. We had the plan to see the show later this evening and so we came up into a nightmare called ,,Crowd Control". Crowd Control means that some bearish Cast Members stand up in a line with a little yellow lamp shouting ,,MOVE FOWARD! MOVE FOWARD! THIS DIRECTION!!!!". It also means that I get in serious trouble as I stopped 30 seconds to get my mostly emty cup of coffee in a trash can next to PotC. The bearished Cast Member of Disneyland Resort shouded to me if I´m that stupid to know that this is a moving way and some other quickly spoken english things that I didn´t understand cause it was that fast. I tried to explain that I just wanna throw this little cup into the trash can but cause there was a little quencher inside, I had to take a short stop. ,,The waiting areas for fantasmic are marked" she shoulded out. ,,We don´t want to see fantasmic at the moment" my friend explained. ,,THEN MOVE ON. THATS A MOVING WAY!!!" There seems not to be much happiness at the happiest place on earth after 8 PM....I didn´t trink the rest of my coffee ? trash can, I didn´t had the chance to get my shoes again closed (I had some problems with my lace) I moved on. ,,MOVE ON" she should out all the time and some other fast english things about our neck...spooky....no I never had such a bad CM experience at DLP. Sorry.
At central Plaza you had the same thing. Everywhere shouting Cast Members. MOVE ON! MOVE ON! THIS IS THE WALKING WAY TO THE EXIT. No we don´t wanna take the exit. We want to take the way to a shop. But no chance. You have no chance to shop at Disneyland´s Main street if this silly CROWD CONTROL is MOVING YOU ON. They don´t let you go inside a shop, they don´t let you stop stey just know that you have to move all the time. After another discussion a woman gave us the advice to watch first the firework. Watching the firework at Disneyland means that the MOVE-ON-CREW move you into a hurdling. If you keep on mooing you want have a problem. We had a place inside the flock. There were little and big animals all waiting for the firework. Luckily the firework starts just one minute before the flock would get insane about the hurdling place.
The firework was great! Really nice show and quiet funny! Good storyline great effects! A + for the firework F fort he rest.
After the firework we found our way back to fantasmic. But it was to crowded there and the MOVE-ON Guys took our last nerves. So we went just out of Disneyland.
I'm sorry for your bad experience with the CM. In my opinion it is a fairytale that US castmember are nicer and more polite than the CMs in Paris. We have also experienced some rude CMs at WDW.
Quote from: "dagobert"I'm sorry for your bad experience with the CM. In my opinion it is a fairytale that US castmember are nicer and more polite than the CMs in Paris. We have also experienced some rude CMs at WDW.
Yes that´s true! Seems we must realise that all CMs are just people like the others.
The vending staff had a bit higher lever then at Paris (just a bit) but for the rest I would say it´s nearly the same. And maybe it´s a question of mentality. The californian people seems to be more interested in big smiles :mrgreen: and a short talk with their customers. The customers in europe doesn´t really want to talk with their super market cashier about where they come from and how long they stay and how they think about the products you buy.
Day 8
10.10 Disney´s California Adventure and more Disneyland
Part I:
Today was our Disneys California Adventure Main Day. Cause the park hasn´t open that early we had a bit longer sleep and went to the gates around 9:30 AM. There were some crowds in front of the gates but nothing serious. They let you in till sunshine plaza. There you have to wait till the official opening of the park is. The halloween decor is more modern then at Disneyland park but the candy corn fields fits for the park. The waiting time was really funny cause they played much old candy or halloween songs. Which means that all americans around us began to seesaw and sing old this hits. We tried our very best of course to be a part of the others. And I must say as finally even the security guy (they have nice uniform over there for them) sang with us it was one of the best starts in the day you can have at a disney park.
At 10 AM the lines dropped and we all entered the other parts of the park. We firstly had a straight walk to Paradise Pier. We wanted to be one of the first people at Midway Mania. Aaaand we were one of the first at Midway Mania. Sadly Midway Mania was closed. Technical issues. The CM at the entrance said that they have some problems and that the ride maybe could open in the next 30 minutes but it could even be possible that it runs not before 3 PM. Sad faces all around. We decided to take a ride on California Screaming first to bridge the waiting time. We were one of the first at California Screaming! With a first lucky then sad face we realized that it was closed. Technical issues the woman in front of it told us. We decided a bit more unhappy now to take a first ride at Mickeys Funwheel. But they had also something going on there...My friend realized that some vehicles at Toy Story Midway Mania runs through the attraction. We went back and asked the CM again. Same statement: She doesn´t know how much time it would take. Maybe 30 minutes, maybe till 3 PM (3PM seems to be the Disney time to say NOT-TODAY-LITTLE-GUEST). A more official looking guy went to the attraction team he aked all CMs at the attraction with his müllpiekser (I don´t know the word in english) in his hand what´s going on. Fortunally 30 minutes is the disney time to say immediately. Cause the next what we saw was the opening of Midway Mania. Aaaaand so we were one of the firsts at the attraction. This was a real good thing cause as we left the attraction you had to wait 40 minutes.
Toy Story Midway Mania is such a great attraction! It´s quiet fun and it´s something you want do again and again. I would say it´s one of the best D-Tickets they build. I was first a bit sceptical but I must say just a wonderful fun attraction.
After our trip to toy story we went on mickeys fun wheel. sure we took the swinging gondolas. Was fun and scary in the same way. From time to time I had the feeling I would die cause the gondola slips that abrupt and with a big swing at the end that you think that this couldn´t be that healthful for a fun wheel. But I must say the fun aspect is much bigger.
We were pleased to see California Screamin open after our Fun Wheel tour. And so we took our first ride on the attraction with a waiting time of just 5 minutes. I think 20 minutes was the longest waiting time for it we saw this day. California Screamin is also a fun coaster. It´s not that much to see but the track is quiet excellllent. The music fits and I liked the carnival parts of it much. From time to time we took anohter ride at this day sometimes two in a row (taking a fast pass and queue for 10 minutes, then using the fast pass).
We then took a mulholland drive madness ride which was hmmm really unthemed....but cause alamo was our rental car company we saw the tie to make our tour.
After this adventure we made the round through the Grizzly Peak Area. That´s such a nice area. (Paradise Pier is also a nice area! The Midway Mania building do sooo much for it and I like it really. I´ve heard so much bad about it, but it´s not that bad) Grizzly Peak is really a great themed area. It´s wonderful for a little walk, just to sit around and have a look or two at the people around, to recreate and – of course – to have fun. We took a ride at the river run and it has a wonderful balance of wet and dry, fast drops and calmer parts. It´s not easy to create a good/perfect water ride like this but WDI done it.
After this bit wet ride we went over to the hollywood area. Sad to say but the hollywood bvd. looks more themed as any of the WDS lands. The should hardly make the placemaking projects going on at wds. The Muppets/Monster inc part looks a bit tacky but the bvd is really nice. Also the Hollywood tower area isn´t that bad as much people told us. Yes it´s at the end of a street but on the other hand is looks more enclosed. The details aren´t that richt as in paris, the ride ist he same in every way. The CM at Paris are better and scarier, the one at california were all a bit busy talking to other CMs about what happend here and there at the park and that didn´t let you believe that they are real hotel staff. Maybe they should now send the californian CMs to Paris to teach them how to run this attraction.
Back at the normal dimension we were a bit hungry. We first took the tortilla tour and gets a tortilla! Happy about this like little childs we then took a round through the dining area and grab finally some chinese food. It was fresh, delicious and pricy. That´s the food quality and direction I would love at DLP. First step: Bring back the hot potatoes! (On the other hand the Hot Dogs at DLP are better)
After our lunch we went after a ride at california screamin to condor flats to see what kind of fun soarin would be. It´s a proper D ticket but I was a bit disapointed. Yes it´s great to fly over the landscape but with this cuts inside the movie and with a place in the last row you always now clearly that this is just a movie. It´s a good filler but nothing more. And nothing you do twice a day.
We were interested what the developements over the next years would be. So the blue sky cellar was the right thing for us. That´s such nice little preview area. You can watch some movies about the developements, some interviews with imagineers and you can see the many things they put here together. Was fun, interesting and magical. DLP should thing about such a info point. Maybe at the village.
....next part soon...(sorry I´m a bit busy at the moment :lol: )
I am glad you like DCA, we think it is a great park, better than a lot of things on offer at WDW IMHO. Interesting though, Soarin' for me is a must do, multiple times attractions, whereas Paradise Pier does little for me. Different strokes for different folks. But it is all good.
Thanks for another awesome report!
Strange how your observations at DL and DCA mirror so much my own from Florida...
Cast - the bit you wrote about the ToT CMs chatting with each other, being not really in character? Happened to me too at WDW...
And yes, Americans are extremely friendly and chatty. Too chatty for this European, at times... Example: We were sitting at the Animal Kingdom Lodge's bus stop early one morning and a young CM - apparently tracking the flow of guests - started chatting with me. I wasn't in the mood. So he blamed me for being not much of a fun-type...
Food - yes, the hot dogs in Paris are better... :)
Toy Story Mania - :D ... We loved it. And why I haven't downloaded the iPhone game yet is beyond me... Anyway: bring it to Paris. Fast! :D
Soarin - I don't know... but the lack of transitions and even the sandals, sneakers and bare feet in front of me took me out of this beautiful experience... but, as dave already said: different strokes for different folks...
Looking forward to the rest of your trip report!
Again great trip report.
Soarin' was one of our favorite rides at WDW, so I'm sorry you didn't like it so much. But like the others said: Everyone has a different taste.
The CMs at the ToT in Paris are really great and spooky and they add a lot to the whole experience.
@ experiment627:
We had also encountered some very overmotivated CMs at WDW. For example at Epcot there was a young CM who was earning her ears, so she was in training, and she desperately wanted to start a conversation with all guests walking by. I wasn't in the mood to talk so my girlfriend did, but I wasn't blamed for being not much of a fun-type.
On other occasions we really enjoyed talking to the overmotivated CMs, because they were really interested in us, since we were from Europe.
Quote from: "davewasbaloo"I am glad you like DCA, we think it is a great park, better than a lot of things on offer at WDW IMHO. Interesting though, Soarin' for me is a must do, multiple times attractions, whereas Paradise Pier does little for me. Different strokes for different folks. But it is all good.
Oh I wouldn´t say Paradise Pier is the number one area of the park but it was far away from that worse and ugly everyone told us. Maybe becaue we went there after the first part of the placemaking project :lol:
It was a more "romantic" and detailed version of some of the piers and boardwalks we found some days ago at the coast.
For DCA I can really say I like the park. An I think one of the main reason it doesn´t was a big success is also because it´s a park about california in california. For example: You are really not very impressed if you stand in front of the palace of fine arts replica if you had seen it some days ago for real. And you see directly the diffrences between hollywood LA and hollywood DCA. Would be the better second park for Paris :wink:
Quote from: "dagobert"Again great trip report.
Soarin' was one of our favorite rides at WDW, so I'm sorry you didn't like it so much. But like the others said: Everyone has a different taste.
The CMs at the ToT in Paris are really great and spooky and they add a lot to the whole experience.
@ experiment627:
We had also encountered some very overmotivated CMs at WDW. For example at Epcot there was a young CM who was earning her ears, so she was in training, and she desperately wanted to start a conversation with all guests walking by. I wasn't in the mood to talk so my girlfriend did, but I wasn't blamed for being not much of a fun-type.
On other occasions we really enjoyed talking to the overmotivated CMs, because they were really interested in us, since we were from Europe.
Quote from: "experiment627"Thanks for another awesome report!
Strange how your observations at DL and DCA mirror so much my own from Florida...
Cast - the bit you wrote about the ToT CMs chatting with each other, being not really in character? Happened to me too at WDW...
And yes, Americans are extremely friendly and chatty. Too chatty for this European, at times... Example: We were sitting at the Animal Kingdom Lodge's bus stop early one morning and a young CM - apparently tracking the flow of guests - started chatting with me. I wasn't in the mood. So he blamed me for being not much of a fun-type...
Food - yes, the hot dogs in Paris are better... :)
Toy Story Mania - :D ... We loved it. And why I haven't downloaded the iPhone game yet is beyond me... Anyway: bring it to Paris. Fast! :D
Soarin - I don't know... but the lack of transitions and even the sandals, sneakers and bare feet in front of me took me out of this beautiful experience... but, as dave already said: different strokes for different folks...
Looking forward to the rest of your trip report!
For Soaring I have to say: It´s a good attraction. I don´t hate it or I wouldn´t say it wouldn´t fit for paris. But it´s for me one of the attraction you should have from day one of a park and nothing to make a big and impressiv ad.
I like to fly over the states but it wasn´t that perfect as I was thinking from the describtions. But: Surely I would do it again! Next time at california :mrgreen:
The Tower of Terror CMs...interesting that they seem to behave the same way at florida. I was thinking: Is it just me? But I ask my friend and he had the same impression. AND noooow you and florida!
The hot dog...the hot dog at Disneyland Resort was served in a simple alu-bag. Not very nice. You had to find it in there and it wasn´t a nice view. But we pimped it with mustard and ketchup and and and :wink: But I must say DLP seems to have the better ones. We ate a much much better hot dog at las vegas some days later.
I really felt in love with Toy Story Mania! And that was a real surprise! I was first thinking: that´s just another Buzz Lightyear. But it´s sooo much better and an extremly fun attraction! =D>
Fot the CMs or the chatty californians: It´s doesn´t bother me. :wink: The seem really interested in us cause we were from europe/germany and that seems to be something special for them. So they ask much things about germany and that they have/had a cousin/dad/uncle/grandgrandgrandfather/friend/dog in germany and such things. That point was everywhere in California and also at Las Vegas. At Williams they are not much interested in anything I think :lol:
For the rest of the week I´m on a business trip so I try to make another trip report step on friday or sat.
I agree, I think DCA gets a bad rep because of the theme. But there is some great theming in Grizzly River Run, Condor Flats, the Marina area, and Hollywood Pictures Backlot. PP looks great at night shining on the water, not so much in the day.
But attraction wise, I think it's great -
ToT
Aladdin (best stage show in the Disney parks world wide)
Monsters Inc
The Animation Pavillion
Muppetvision 3D
It's Tough to be a Bug
Soarin'
Grizzly River Run
The Red Wood Creek Challenge Trail
Screamin'
TSMM
My wife likes the factory tours too, as well as the California Wine Tasting seminars
Plus a load of others that don't appeal. I think it's a pretty good line up for the 2nd gate.
Just a shame they got rid of all the fine dining and my fav two little attractions, Golden Dreams and Seasons of the Vine. They also used to have amazing streetmousphere, but sadly that has been reduced because of lack of space during the place making. I hope it comes back. I am looking forward to WOC though, Carsland looks like it could be pretty awesome, and even though I am not a huge fan, I know my daughter is looking forward to the Little Mermaid attraction.
It´s indeed a great list of attraction they collect in this second gate! I´m a bit sad that we hadn´t the chance to see Golden Dreams and Seasons of the Vine. With streetmosphere it should be even better! But at the moment you have some bob the builder areas. But nicely themed with this themed fences.
World of Color looks very impressive also without water on it. It´s huge! And they had some preview boards at the paradise pier bridge (and of course at the blue sky cellar). I think they plan a wonderful show there! And also nice that they decided to create a proper viewing area!
I suspect, although I am not happy about all the tooning, DCA will be pretty world class by 2012. Can't say the same about WDSP (even though I defend it often). Difference in the fan base I suppose. One group of fans will be vocal in the want for quality and vote with their wallets, compared to another group who will creme their pants for some Toy inspired Carnival rides.
It really is a shame I love living in the UK so much, I know which resort I rather were my local. Then again, Paris still has it's charms, even if they are fading.
Just been catching up... Great report, beautiful pictures!!
Quote from: "Riebi"Always a Cast Member saw one of the buttons he shoulded loud out ,,OOOOH it´s Anthony´s Birthday today! Let´s give him a happy birthday wish everybody". Which means that the whole queue was shouting ,,HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANTHONY!"
Funny you used my name, that's
exactly the kind of thing that always happens to me. :oops: Bellhops at ToT talking amongst themselves actually sounds great, they usually pick on me in Paris!
Quote from: "davewasbaloo"Difference in the fan base I suppose.
Oy, don't blame us please.
Quote from: "Anthony"Just been catching up... Great report, beautiful pictures!!
Quote from: "Riebi"Always a Cast Member saw one of the buttons he shoulded loud out ,,OOOOH it´s Anthony´s Birthday today! Let´s give him a happy birthday wish everybody". Which means that the whole queue was shouting ,,HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANTHONY!"
Funny you used my name, that's exactly the kind of thing that always happens to me. :oops:
You´re the reason why I took this name :P :mrgreen:
here some pics from the first day disney (rest trip report of the second and third day during the next week)
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag6_1.jpg)
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag6_2.jpg)
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag6_3.jpg)
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag6_4.jpg)
The deco seems better and more fitting then at paris
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag6_5.jpg)
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag6_6.jpg)
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag6_7.jpg)
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag6_8.jpg)
Haunted Mansion: The Seasons deco was creat! I loved it!
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag6_9.jpg)
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag6_10.jpg)
Splash Mountain
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag6_11.jpg)
Canooooooos
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag6_12.jpg)
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag6_13.jpg)
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag6_14.jpg)
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag6_15.jpg)
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag6_16.jpg)
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag6_17.jpg)
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag6_18.jpg)
Thanks for the pictures!! They are beautiful. Hopefully you are going to post more!!
Part II of DCA:
Do you remember the magic? We were at the blue sky cellar. Next stop after this magical expierence was "A Bugs Land". That´s a little area full of big gras and ...of course...bugs.
We shrunk to the size of little bugs as we entered the little theater under the ground. What a great themed theater! It was really like wandering inside an anthill! Really cool! (not kool) I loved it. The 3D glasses were formed like bugeyes.
The movie itself was also great. Some wonderful effects and something I really want to watch again (which isn´t the thing with other movied like HISTA). The whole theater is really one of the best themed areas ever. So much little details and things to have a look or two! Impressive!
The rest of the land is proper themed. Not that elaborate as the theater but also with many details.
Then we had to move our bodies very fast to the aladdin show building. There was a really funny scene on here. A CM discussed with a person that seems to hate to use steps. The CM told every guest that they have to go XY steps to the balcony cause the bothom places were all full. This one (I have to say normal weight)person seems to have a big problem with this. We saw many americans that turn around as they heared that they have to take some steps (also silly, isn´t it?) but this one person seemed to wanna fight for a place without steps.
Finally after some minutes she gets one while anohter person from the bottom seating area choose the balcony....silly...
We were happy happy happy about our balcony seats. we were at the first balcony. I think that´s the best place. The one above is to high. We had place there in the first row, center. It´s the best place cause while the carpet scene you have the best viewing point.
It´s a good show. Sometimes a bit toooo greasy but ok.
After the show we had a look at the shops and attractions of hollywood bvd. (not much to see/do there) and then we took the tortilla tour (I GOT A TORTILLA! FOR FREE!!! FREEEFOOOOOOD!) Then we took a round at the crizzly trail. My friend hates things like this. I love it. So at California I forced him everytime we saw something like this to use it. I was a bit disapointed that it isn´t really high or straining. I was more in a Paris-Tree-Davy-C.-Adventure-mode. But quiet fun to see my friend having one of his biggest challenges in his life.
We made then the other attractions at Paradise Pier which we didn´t in the morning such like the zephyr, maliboooomer or else. A last nightfall tour at California Adventure was the next thing then we made the boudin bakery tour. Piece of bread.
After a longer look at the park map we realized that we did everything. Cause it was nearly 9 pm (closing time for DCA was 10pm I think) we decided to go to Disneyland Park.
There was a huge queue in front of the park gates so we decided to take the monorail. There was also a queue and in front of the entrance we know why: The park was full and only people with a park ticket and a stamp could enter the monorail station. Lucky ones like us had a stamp. The others had a discussion.
It´s nice to roll in at disneyland via monorail. Less stress and you are on the right site of the park cause no Adventureland/New Orleans Square and that means: No fantasmic people! The proplem was: We had to see fantsamic! After my expirience a day before I wasn´t really happy about this fact. Fantasyland was closed because of the fireworks and so we had to go oooover the totally crowded central plaza to adventureland...hell!
After some researchs we found a nice place at the little bridge of POTC. We had a nice view without long waiting time. The show was great, the dragon moving so everything alright with fantasmic except the place where they show it. It´s absolutly mad to throw such a show on rivers of america and exactly at one of the bottle necks of the park. why hadn´t they took the other side of the rivers or else. Not the best deccccisssion. Hope with world of colors more people will switch to DCA seeing WoC instead.
But ok it´s FANTASMIC :-)
After fantasmic I get my friend into the enchanted tiki room. Loved it! And I have the song in my ear till today. My friend too. He always get a bit angry if I start to sing cause that means that he had this song in his ear for the rest of the day.
Then we want to do some shopping. But it was again impossible cause of the MOVE ON crew. I just bought some pins for my sister in law. She´s a big pin trader since our DLP holiday.
At Towns Square I tried to make a picture with me and the pumpkin. But again: Because an rude official DL photograph this wasn´t possible first. I then made one at the side of the pumpkin. Not in front. Don´t want trouble with all this MOVE ON THIS IS MY PLACE CMs...
To make me happy again: After my pumpkin picture I bought some postcards and there was the nicest CM of all. He worked at the emporium Cashpoint, was a bit older and chatted with us very interested in germany and our travel itinerary. Gave us some tips and hints and was surprised like us that Disneyland took away the stamp machine a week before without any replacement (You have a problem if you like to buy a stamp at disneyland)
With a happy feeling cause of this CM we went back to the hotel.
Great trip report again!! Can't wait to see some pics of DCA.
Pics from our second day disneyland resort
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag7_1.jpg)
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag7_2.jpg)
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag7_5.jpg)
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag7_6.jpg)
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag7_7.jpg)
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag7_8.jpg)
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag7_9.jpg)
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag7_10.jpg)
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag7_11.jpg)
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag7_12.jpg)
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag7_13.jpg)
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag7_14.jpg)
loving those glasses :lol: :lol:
Quote from: "bensmum"loving those glasses :lol: :lol:
Me tooo :lol:
11.10 Again a wonderful day at the Disneyland Resort - the wheelchaired place on earth
Day 3 at Disneyland Resort
Today was our last day at the Disneyland Resort. And that was the reason to be one of the first persons at Disneyland Park cause we want try to make everything we missed the last two days aaaand to do some shopping. So we were very early at the gates of Disneyland Park which was a good thing cause this day should be the day where all other people of california had the same idea as us: Visit Disneyland.
There were masses of people inside the park during the day but cause we had make nearly everya attractions two days before it wasn´t that hard for us. We first took a tour at Indiana Jones and a fast pass. It was a good thing cause we had a waiting time around 30 minutes and the fast pass was open the right time after our first tour. By the way Indiana Jones Adventure seems to be the A + + + queue jumping attraction. I never ever saw such queue jumping in my life as in this attraction.
Queue jumping seems to be generally a big problem at Disneyland Park. It´s hard to say that but all people that will tell you DLP is the worst case of queue jumping in the world isn´t right. Americans have some very easy ways to make queue jumping more effectiv. Three main forms are visible:
1. Rent a wheelchair: EVERYBODY!!!! EVERYBODY!!! has a wheelchair at Disneyland. It´s like Wall-E´s space adventure became realllllity. I would never say something again a person who NEEDS a wheelchair. But this behavior there isn´t funny. It´s sad. With your personal wheelchair you have reason number one for TOP queue jumping: You simply use the exit of the attraction (don´t forget to take 2 or 3 escorting people with you). And that it is. There was a A +++ premium queue jumping wheelchair line which gave you the perfect reason to visit attractions without waiting time.
It´s even more sad if you think about the people that really neeeeed a wheelchair. They have the right to have short waiting times, but cause everyone seems to use this trick even the wheelchair row had some waiting time (means: Lot of escort people and wheelchair people standing in a row moaning about the long waiting times in the wheelchair line).
I simply have no excuse for people that do that. Why renting a wheelchair if you are healthy?? Were is the decency? The best thing is that this people were switching its wheelchair after the first waiting period which means that another family member took their place to get new people and escort friends in an attraction with just some minutes waiting time. It´s a shame that noone tell them what that mean for the people that really need a wheelchair and for all the other guests at a theme park. (by the way: that seems to be only a disneyland problem. At Seaworld or else there wasn´t this wheelchair queue jumpers)
The best is: They use this wheelchair also for the evening to save their place at fantasmic or the fireworks.
2. Should out "Excuse ME!": If you don´t get a wheelchair you could have a problem as queue jumper at DL. Thanks god there´s the phrase "Excuse me!". The trick is very simple: You just have to should out "EXCUSE ME!" all the time and run through the masses of people in the line. You have to look really serious while you sould out "Excuse me!" of course. The other people in line must think that there´s a person/puppy/mesias in front of the line somewhere hiddin. They will all let pass you. And maybe you are even faster then the wheelchair queue jumpers. ...After 3 days of Disneyland we hate the phrase "Excuse me!" Everybody who said that to us had the chance to not pass the line. That often means some discussions but ok.
There´s also a little variant of it: There´s really a family member somewhere in front of the queue. For example at indiana jones the family member is waiting in front of the temple and the queue jumpers are at the entrance of the line. In this case the family member at the temple has to should out "HEY! HELLO! HERE!!" and the rest has to should again "Excuse me!" all the time.
I never had such bad expirience and behavior at DLP.
3. Just make it the normal way: CUT THE LINE! For Indiana Jones adventure it seems very simple to make the third variant of queue jumping. I saw whole families that jump about barriers (mostly instructed by mom or dad) just to get directly again inside the attraction. Cause exit ways and entrance ways are putted together it´s very simple to do some queue jumping here. Unbelievable.
I think in the queue jumping thing my expectations where a bit to high. Cause everyone inside our forum here always pretend that europeans are the most impertinent queue jumpers on earth I never thought that at Disneyland Anaheim it´s even worse (seems they´ve learned much from the europeans or...seems they aren´t that nead and nice park visitors everyone want to tell us!)
But ok back to the report, enough of wheelchair jumpers. At Indiana Jones adventure you really could see how small Adventureland is. The outside queue area isn´t really wide. It´s all very squeezed between the jungle cruise and the treehouse. The ride itself was again great (even I realized that some effects seems to need a refurb). After our big little adventure we made our round through some shops of adventureland. I had some trouble to find items that I really want to have. Most things aren´t Disneyland Resort merchandising. Most is Park and Resorts. And if I am at Disneyland Anaheim I want to buy something unique and unique means nooooo Parks and Resort label inside clothes, on cups, stuffed animal or else. I bought a vintage Disneyland Shirt, a jessica rabbit shirt and some other small things that seems to be unique for Disneyland.
We decided to make a second shopping tour later this day at main street and went over to tomorrowland to took a fast pass for space mountain. This attraction seems to had the longest lines all the time so you really should take a fast pass if you want to ride it. After that we had a look for the waiting times of finding nemo but it was about 60 minutes and so we decided to wait till evening. the next attraction on our list was It´s a small world. There was a longer line as in Paris but I think that was mainly cause they hadn´t the best system to fill the boats right. Most of the boats were half full or with just some people inside. The CMs there aren´t that fast as in Paris but it´s ok to wait a bit inside the area. It´s nice to see all the effects there working.
The attraction is in a good shape outside. Bright and always something to look at. We entered our boat together with some little childs and her mums and dads. The inside of the attraction is...not that good. I hadn´t really a very heavy point against this disney characters inside It´s a small world till this day. But I have to say: It simply not fit inside the small world. You can clearly see that the style of the characters didn´t fit exactly the other characters of it´s a small world. Something it´s ok but most times it´s just like wearing the wrong pair of shoes to your suit. It doesn´t fit. But the thing that made me sad was that the idea of the attraction is lost. You could see that if you took the tour with 2 little families like we did it. It´s not "Oh look that´s china/germany/england/australia....how nice! And yes it´s a small world after all - all together - friends and peace" It´s now like this:
Dad 1: "OOOOH loook there´s stitch!!!" Dad 2: "Ohhh can you spot the little mermaid" Dad 1: "Oooooh look there´s donald!"....it´s hard to see that! I was nearly at the point to say "YES BUT THAT F*** DOESN`T MATTER!!!! IT`S NOT DONALD/STITCH/MERMAIDLAND! IT`S ENGLAND/GERMANY/ASIA!!!!!" The attraction is now the impression of a hard european prejudice: The americans just know america and nothing more. No culture, no other countries nothing. And that totally sad.
After the Small world desaster we tried to get happy again at Toon Town. Luckily there´s Roger Rabbits Caaaartoooon Spin! What a nice little dark ride. And the queue is well themed. Something happens everywhere. Jessica, the wheeeezzzzles the whole attraction: GREAT! Loved it.
We then took a round through Fantasyland doing some of the attractions here (also the Sleeping beauty walkway and such things) and came finally again to Frontierland. We took there a fast pass for the haunted mansion. There are always big lines in front of it so it´s better to took one. And after that we get a bit hungry. There was nearly every dining location around the fantasmic viewing area full. Mostly cause the people who reserved a place at the rivers for the evening hours before fantasmic have to go at a location near there familiy camp. So we took again the mexican cuisine. Was a nice meal under the blue sky of frontierland and very calm of course.
-next things we done later-
I'm very sorry for your bad experiences with queue jumping, but we had the same experiences at WDW. Americans aren't any better than Europeans in terms of queue jumping.
We had also very high expectations in WDW in terms of guest behaviour, but we experienced the same.
Don't you need a special paper for renting a wheelchair? At WDW I was amazed how many people used an electric wheelchair.
Wow, this is surprising, I have seen queue jumping in DL (the worst is people using their fastpasses when they feel like it after the time e.g. using a 10:00 am fastpass at 3 in the afternoon). But overall, it used to be that DLP was worst, followed by WDW then DL being the best. Now, DLP seems much better (except school groups - but that is an international thing anyway), and DL and WDW is getting worse.
Adventureland when I was a kid was just the Jungle Cruise, Tahitian Terrace Restaurant, the Bazaar, and the Tree House. When DLP opened, I was blown away with how huge AL is.
And yes, I too love Roger Rabbit. It would be great if Toon Studios had gotten this instead of the stupid Toy Story Playland - but sadly we knew that would never happen. Thankfully we can ride this in DL and TDL.
Can't wait to read more.
Sorry to be a bit quiet at the moment but I have to much to do! We had last week a big event at our company (I´ve learned that the company were I work now since january seems to love christmas as much as I do. Today I have the third company seasons party.)
It was the main christmas party for the whole company (there are also little ones for each department and such things). On the party every company member get a christmas tree for free and much mulled wine, food and things as he want. That´s the happy part of it. The stressful part is that I´m in the marketing and communication department. That means that we are the guys that have to organize that everyone gets his tree and his mulled wine and food and fun and a stage show and christmas decorations and and and...so after some very christmassy weeks I was happy to gave everyone his mulled wine (it´s a tradition that the marketing and communication department are the ones that give the mulled wine to the people at the party) and even more happier that I get a 2.5 m tree for free :mrgreen:
But now back to Disney!
Quote from: "dagobert"We had also very high expectations in WDW in terms of guest behaviour, but we experienced the same.
Don't you need a special paper for renting a wheelchair? At WDW I was amazed how many people used an electric wheelchair.
I think the high expectations are the biggest thing why you get a bit shocked about the reality. After hearing everywhere how nice and full of behave the americans at the disney parks over there are I was disapointed that they are the same kind of people you will meet in europe. But if I hadn´t this expectation I think I wouldn´t even think much about it.
For the wheelchair I don´t know how they handle this at US. Seems that everyone could get one.
Quote from: "davewasbaloo"Wow, this is surprising, I have seen queue jumping in DL (the worst is people using their fastpasses when they feel like it after the time e.g. using a 10:00 am fastpass at 3 in the afternoon). But overall, it used to be that DLP was worst, followed by WDW then DL being the best. Now, DLP seems much better (except school groups - but that is an international thing anyway), and DL and WDW is getting worse.
Adventureland when I was a kid was just the Jungle Cruise, Tahitian Terrace Restaurant, the Bazaar, and the Tree House. When DLP opened, I was blown away with how huge AL is.
And yes, I too love Roger Rabbit. It would be great if Toon Studios had gotten this instead of the stupid Toy Story Playland - but sadly we knew that would never happen. Thankfully we can ride this in DL and TDL.
Can't wait to read more.
What I love at the Disneyland Adventureland is the fact that it has so much jungle like areas that seems to be realy next together. If it would go on this way it would be perfect. It´s a more "homely" adventureland not that elaborate. Like the whole park. But that isn´t always a bad thing. It´s also nice to see some little corners here and there that are that nice cause they are that "homely". It´s totally diffrent and in the same way similar to DLP. That interesting and I like it that way.
Now to the rest of our third Disney day:
It´s fun at Disneyland. It´s even more fun if you visited an attraction with wheeeeazzzles inside and it´s even better if you have the chance that your friend is with you. In this case you can thump your park map on its head while screaming out "OOoooold weazzzzzel!!!".
That´s the best thing you can do at Disneyland. Believe me! But there were also other things to do at the afternoon. We tried again to do some shopping. unfortunately this "Street Party" thing (NOOOOO it´s not a parade. it´s more a happening. --> get it? I´m flashed that Disneyland hadn´t a parade till today)
The street happening thing meant that the whole main street is full of people. And that meant that the crowd control team was again out...that meant that we hadn´t the chance to go inside a simple main street shop. Why? There was no one shop on our route. unfortunately (second time) the way that the crowd control had excogitate (I thin with much wine and beer) was the way directly through the backstage area of main street usa.
Shouting out "THIS WAY!!! DOWN TO MAIN STREET THIS WAY!" we were faster then a wheasel in a backstage area and even our try to go directly in a main street shop without getting in the crowds and the crowd control was a thing that totally went wrong. I never want to be in a backstage area of Disneyland Park...but ok. We done it. Check mark on the park map: Backstage Main Street USA.
Out of this crowd control thing and without any shopping things we went to Tomorrowland. The new coloscheme of there orbitron attraction fits much better to Disneyland Anaheim then the DLP one. Even a proper rocket would better fit. The whole land is sooo much captain future and less great visionary. So they should take this theme serious and don´t try to established another one. The captain future theme is fitting to the palm tree scenery and it´s nice to have some real diffrences between the theme parks around the world.
We had then at tomorrowland our tour through caroussssel of progress. Wasn´t that fun. It´s mainly a promotion for honda and most of the house inventions were broken. But ok. I played with a screen table.
I like the idea of it. It´s cool to see new things. But if nothing really working well and the rest is just a giant promotion for honda it´s not that fun.
At Tomorrowland we had a little bit of shopping! They have really could shirts. It´s soooo good to see that Disney at Anaheim has the humour to laught about itself. We bought another one of the "I tasted the dark side" shirt with a clone warrior from star wars on it with a big mickey ice cream bar in his hand. And also the little yoda shirt with the disney size restriction sign about him is wonderful.
I loved this kind of "Don´t take Disney toooo serious" humour!
Then we took a really delicios pinapple ice cream sundae at the tiki room! The queue for the pineapple was longer as the one for the enchanted tiki room. So you had to say from time to time "THIS IS THE PINEAPPLE LINE" which means that some people behind you had to change to the tiki room. Delicious pineapple things! Take one! The biggest!
We took another round on the haunted mansion (our fastpass was ready) and it was again great fun! This holiday overlay is just great! And you can do it again and again. We had a date with the happiest turkey alive (nice idea), some sweets and candy and had just some fund while strolling the park. We mad everything we want to two days before and so we hadn´t really stress. This was a good thing cause the sunday was the most crowded day ever. I think it was some kind of holiday. (Columbus day???)
It´s great if you haven´t that stress of MUST dos anymore. Just a nice day at disney. The only stressful thing was that we hadn´t the chance to buy an international phone card inside the park. I had the wish to call my parents from disneyland but after some phone card research we decided to make this a day later from hollywood.
At the evening we made our tour through the park and through the masses of people. We decided to take a ride on the matterhorn (wasn´t that crowded at this time) and the submarine voyage. Both are great fun and wonderful attractions. Would love to see one of them at paris. By the way: the matterhorn dooo so much for the theme of fantasyland. It looks sooooo nice with this little mountain behind the town and the castle.
Then the crowds were just toooo big. It was hard to keep on going through this masses of people. So we decided to have a nice evening at downtown disney. We watched the firework again and after that we left Disneyland Park. At Downtown Disney we tried again to make some shopping but to much princess and pirates less quality merchandise for a good price. So we just took some chocolates and had a look at the nice ambiance of Downtown Disney. The´ve done everything right here. It looks great at night and at day it doesn´t has the charmes of an modern factory building.
With a happy tune in our ears we left the Disney Resort and went back to our hotel.
Hope I have soon more time to do the rest of my trip report with some disney specials as the Del at San Diego.
Thanks a lot for your very interesting Disneyland trip reports. I really enjoyed reading every bit of it and now I can't wait to go to Anaheim. Hopefully in 2011!!
By the way your pictures are great!! Thanks for sharing them with us!
Just back from christmas and new year! So let´s start with the rest of my trip report. First the LA Fazit:
======Fazit Los Angeles=========
1. Universal Studios Hollywood
Universal Studios Hollywood is a nice spot for a day. You will only need a day if you´re going during the week and it won´t be that busy. I´ve expected more cause they are really famous in every forum etc. but after some time passing it´s a good one day theme park (and if you have the southern california city pass it´s included)
2. Disneyland Resort
°The Resort itself: It´s really interesting to see a disney resort inside a city. If you are a normal Disneyland Paris guest you are attuned to a roomy resort area with much greenery and wider distances between everything. Here you find a resort which is located inside the city of anaheim like your market place at your home town. That´s not something bad, it´s just something diffrent and makes it more interesting to visit for european guests. (I like to see such diffrences between the resorts worldwide).
That´s also the reason why the whole resort affects very homely and snugly. Disneyland Paris is elaborate, lavish, grandness. Disneyland Resort is placid, homey, comfy. Paris is more impressive in landscaping and design like a beautiful castle, Anaheim is like a visit in your grandmothers home with the flavour biscuits and hot chocolate. Both are wonderful places to be, live and just to come home.
Most impressive is the wonderful outfit of the security Cast Members and the floor (why the floor? There are no cracks! Completly diffrent to paris!) Also the bus stop looked nicer and the planting is more creative (nice bushes there)
°Disneyland Park: The Disneyland Park is smaller and not sooo lavish as the park near paris. But again: That doesn´t mean it´s a bad thing. It´s again more homely. Also if the castle is really small if you are standing on town square. Interesting is that there are sooo much vehicles out at main street. Main street is a main street in a smaller town as the main street in paris. But it´s ok. Tomorrowland is totally diffrent. I don´t see why they choose the orbitron model from paris for their entrance and not something more fitting to the rest but ok. A real cool spot is the tomorrowland terrace. I love like whole bands/Yedis/else arise. Some attractions are a bit boring (Carousel of progress...)
Fantasyland is really nice with this wonderful matterhorn in the background. It looks so nice with the castle and the mountain. Frontierland and New Orleans Square is diffrent to Paris but also a nice interpretation of the theme. The pirates area isn´t something that really fit but it would be a nice addition to the adventure isle at paris. Adventureland is disapointing small. And I can´t see "the long esodic way" to indiana jones adventure. It´s just squeezed between jungle cruise and the tree house. (and yes you always knows that you are under the tree house/next to jungle cruise). I´m happy that the adventureland in paris is that big. A main problem in the frontierland/adventureland area is fantasmic. The area is just to small to handle the crowds. Visitors of the park are blocking the whole area from 3 PM till park closing just to have a good viewing point for the show. That means chaos for the whole afternoon and evening....
Halloween festival has the better decoration in my opinion. But there´s not much to do. There was not one simple life show for halloween or streetmosphere. No Halloween parade/cavalcade etc. You have the possiblity to see the nightmare before christmas overlay at the haunted mansion and such things but halloween festival isn´t a real festival in Anaheim as you can see it at paris. Cause I´m not that much in halloween it doesn´t bother me much. What you can see is the halloween fireworks. And that´s one of the best disney fireworks i ever saw in my life.
*Disney´s California Adventure Park
DCA was really impressive. I hadn´t high expectations cause I there was so much bad talk about DCA. But it´s a nice Disney Park and if the fences comes down one day it will be even better. I had sooo much fun in this park and there are many attractions that are now one of my favorits.
°Park Hours
The park hours were excelent! Disneyland Park closed at midnight, DCA at 22 PM. Park hours means also operation hours!! YES! That´s true! Seems that Disneyland Park at Anaheim don´t take just the money. They also gives you the full operation hours. You can ride the haunted mansion after dark, you can even ride it 1 minute before park closing! You can simply do it! No one stupid "This attraction closes at 18 PM" sign! Hurray! More then 3 attraction open at the evening. Of course fantasyland closes for the fireworks but just the part they need. Not whole fantasyland, Adventureland (at anaheim frontierland).
It was sooooooooooo wonderful to see all attraction operating till the park closing. Again: PARIS GET THIS FIXED! It can´t be that you pay the full price for 50 % attractions.
°Merchandising
The merchandising is disapointing. Most of the things have a big "Walt Disney Parks and Resorts" stamp on it. Or Disneyland Resort on the one side and Walt Disney World on the other side of the label. (Even the cups, napkins etc. have just "Parks and Resorts" Logos)
It was a really hard thing to find real Disneyland gifts. It´s good that they have the vintage disneyland collection to have some pieces of proper Disneyland gifts but they should come to the point that Disneyland Resort is another Resort as Walt Disney World.
And that means in figures that I spend LESS in gifts as I wanted. I had some money from my summer trip to paris where I found not really good gifts but I never thought that I would be in the same situation at Disneyland Resort. So Disney sorry...but you looooooooooost some money!
°Event
The "CELEBRATE SOMETHING" event was much better then this cheesy Party at Paris. They had soooo much little details for the guests. So CELEBRATE! is not that hypocritical PARTEEE you find in Paris. CELEBRATE is something the guests do and not something the entertainment department do. I was first very sceptical about another party-thing in a disney park but I must say they done it soooo much better then paris. The decoration is fitting, the CMs are celebration with the visitors and the entertainment department has just a supporting role. That´s the main point: they aren´t the party the just make party WITH the guests and not on a to big to be really beautiful stage at central plaza/stitch desaster party. Let´s keep it shorter: The center of CELEBRATE are the guests and not the entertainment department. At paris the center of the whole event is the entertainment department without the guests.
They have a nice little cavalcade. The sad point is that this little cavalcade was the only "Parade" in the park and that´s the disapointment of the whole thing. The grand Disneyland Resort has nooooo parade at Disneyland Park.
°Cast Members
The Cast Members are on a same level with the CMs at Paris. Nooooo California is not the holy land of the nicest CMs ever that will make every wish true. They are normal people. In some parts they are more worse then the ones in paris in some they are better. For example they have not a real understanding for visitors from outside the United states. Paris is more international. The CMs at Anaheim seems to get really big problems if they have a person from another non-english country in front of their face. And the crowd control is really rude.
°Guests
Same for the guests! It doesn´t mean that you are a better guest if you are rude while saying "Excuse me!".
3. Hollywood
Hollywood is one of the most ugliest places ever. The only spot that gets an "OK" is the chinese theater area and the el capitain theater with the soda fountain. So if you want to see hollywood you should plan 2 hours. One for the area, parking, chinese theater, kodak theater and the other for lunch at the el capitain. Don´t make one of this silly tours they want you to go. All you get are pictures of hedges and not one from the home of your favorit star.
If I´m again in Hollywood all I will do is a concert visit at the hollywood bowl and maybe again this big sundaaaae!
============================
Thanks for the write up Reibi, it was a great read.
I have always said that DLP has the potential to be the best resort, but the staggered opening and closings, the lack of the vehicles on Main Street, the reduced fireworks, the hours, and the maintenance issues always makes me feel like it is a pretend DL. Though I love the international feel of DLP and the beauty of the design. Both are great for different reasons.
Overall DL is my fav resort, but it is not perfect. The Annual Pass culture (Jan 4th, 66% of visitors were APers) is a double edge sword, on one side it means the entertainment and hours are top notch at DL, on the other it means lots of crowds and bad behaviour of guests and cast. There is no perfect Disney experience (though a hybrid of DL and DLP could be).
I do think sadly you visited on one of the worst years though (the parade situ, all the building work at DCA etc.). This is why we will not be returning until after 2012. Hopefully once the DCA Phase 1 is finished, things should be much better.
I am soooo sorry to hear about the merchandise. Our visit in 2007, everything was so much better merch wise compared to WDW (2006) and DLP. Shame that has changed.
AS for Universal Studios - if you go thinking of it as a visitor attraction/museum, it is fantastic. If you go expecting a theme park, then I think people are disappointed. I really like it. As for Hollywood and LA, yep, they are not nice. I tried to pursuade my wife years ago to forget about Hollywood, but she pursuaded me to take her. She was really sorry she didn't listen to me.
My advice for visiting California - Northern California is beautiful. The mountains (Yosemite, Sequoia are a must), San Diego is fantastic, but in LA, just go to theme parks and museums.
Thanks for the last part of your trip report. I've really enjoyed reading the whole report and your pictures are great, too.
In terms of castmembers and guests I have the same opinion like you. I have only been to WDW, but I had the same experiences like you. It made me already sick, when people on various forums mean, that the European visitors are the worst and Americans are the best. The same with the CMs.
Hopefully our plan will become reality to vist California in 2011 and of course we have to visit Disneyland. Good to know that Hollywood is an awful place, so we will not spend much time there.
Thanks again and have a nice day!!!
Quote from: "dagobert"In terms of castmembers and guests I have the same opinion like you. I have only been to WDW, but I had the same experiences like you. It made me already sick, when people on various forums mean, that the European visitors are the worst and Americans are the best. The same with the CMs.
Having been a regular visitor to DL, DLP and WDW for many decades, I think this is my take on it.
I think Europe has more extreme behaviours of nice and horrid visitors. You can have an excellent trip with nice people, or some really horrible experiences that can make a difference. I think DLP had the best cast in 1992 when they were American trained, and then I think with the run up to the 15th anniversary, the cast at DLP have been getting better and better. Same with guests. Honestly, our worst guest experiences have still been at DLP (for extremes), but it feels like the queue jumping and smoking issues have been getting less and less.
At the same time, in the 70's and 80's, the cast members in the US were awesome, and people were better behaved. Sadly though, over the last 15 years, Disney in the US has been less choosy about hiring cast members, training them less, and the service has been getting pretty bad. Also, the average american guest seems to be getting more obnoxious and rude.
In 1999/2000 - I would have said the best cast/guest behaviour would have ranked 1. DL, 2. WDW and 3. DLP.
Now I think DLP has improved and the US worse to where they are all equal with different pros and cons.
Just a reminder folks, I am an American who has lived in the UK for 23 years, and speaks German, French, some Spanish, Italian and Dutch. My degree is in International Relations. Although I would not say I am an expert with scientific evidence, this is based on my personal experiences and 15 years reading of Disney boards on line.
For anyone staying at DL or Anaheim that have an interest in Universal and Hollywood, and may not have a rental car, there is a decent bus trip that drives through the key Hollywood sites before going to Universal. That is not a bad way to do it.
Or a trip to the El Capitan to see a Disney film and exhibit, a trip to the Disney soda fountain and maybe Madame Tussauds is ok.
Other LA places worth while - Knott's Berry Farm and Six Flags Magic Mountain for coaster fans, and the Gene Autrey Western Museum is excellent (and the imagineers helped design it)
Quote from: "dagobert"Thanks for the last part of your trip report. I've really enjoyed reading the whole report and your pictures are great, too.
:lol: You won´t get shot of me that fast :lol: There are some parts waiting! Next will be San Diego with Sea World, San Diego Zoo and the original Disneyland Hotel :mrgreen:
Quote from: "davewasbaloo".
AS for Universal Studios - if you go thinking of it as a visitor attraction/museum, it is fantastic. If you go expecting a theme park, then I think people are disappointed. I really like it.
I think that was my main mistake. I took it as a theme park.
QuoteI do think sadly you visited on one of the worst years though (the parade situ, all the building work at DCA etc.). This is why we will not be returning until after 2012. Hopefully once the DCA Phase 1 is finished, things should be much better.
I would say the fences wasn´t that hard. It was hard to see paradise pier without water but on the other hand it´s nice to see how much they invest to make people happy in a buiding side area. They had little transparent "windows" were you could see how world of color would look like at the bridges to paradise pier and other things to make every visitor interested in a visit after the fences. Great building side marketing!
QuoteI have always said that DLP has the potential to be the best resort, but the staggered opening and closings, the lack of the vehicles on Main Street, the reduced fireworks, the hours, and the maintenance issues always makes me feel like it is a pretend DL. Though I love the international feel of DLP and the beauty of the design. Both are great for different reasons.
The main thing for me are the reduced opening hours for the attractions at DLP. I thinks it´s a shame that we pay the full price for less. I can understand cuts but not something like that.
Great trip report Riebi! Looks like you had an amazing time, thanks for posting so many photos! :D
great report and nice pictures Riebi, jsut as if being there ;)
thanks for sharing!
After trying to post some pictures since days I decided to make first another trip report part.
So thank you all again for your comments. Pictures will follow soon again. But now next part:
13.10 San Diego Zoo, Old Town San Diego and Horton Plaza and Gaslamp Quarter
Our first night at San Diego was over. We stayed in the completly refreshed Motel 6. It was the best Motel 6 on our journey. Fresh paint, fresh room, new big tv screen, at downtown san diego.
The day before we visited hollywood and then we had a journey along the sea to san diego. We visited Horton Plaza shopping center (good shopping place). Then our bed was our favorite friend.
On 13.10. the plan was to go to Sea World. But cause we slept that long this day (was because the Disneyland days were that exciting and ...long:-)) we decited to take the San Diego Zoo for the day.
The San Diego Zoo is one of the biggest Zoos worldwide. And it has a really wide offering on things to do. With the Southern California City Pass you have not just the entrance included but also the special things inside the zoo as the bus-safari and the skyride. It´s great to have everything in one ticket and it´s not nice if you have to pay again and again for everything you want to do inside.
We first took the bus safari. It´s a double-deck bus. It´s better to take your place "downstairs" cause you will see much more from this level.
You will get a nice overview about the whole zoo and it´s good to start the day here like this. After our bus safari we made our way through the zoo. We used the skyride, which is great. You can see the whole Bilboa Park from here and the city in the distance. Under your feet you will see the zoo, of course.
They really nice vista points inside the park where you can watch the animal around you. One of my favorit was the panda. There was only one cause they had procreation and in this times they need it calm and with less visitors. The zoo is something that is hard to describe in words so I think I will post some pics soon.
Interesting are also again some technical aspekts. The San Diego Zoo was the first place were I saw moving staircases in the middle of nothing/greenery/plants. Everywhere where a poor little armerican has to take more then 10 steps in a row they had one. This was quiete funny. I stand on some screaming "To infinity and beyond!"....TIPP: People on moving staircases are thinking that you are more then just a little bit crazy if you are standing on moving staircases screaming "To infinity and beyond!"...
You will need around 5 hours for the zoo. We were at the gates around 10 AM and leave the park around 5 PM. We ate some meatball "italian" pasta (wasn´t really good) and had the feeling of a full belly for the rest of the day so we went to Old Town San Diego for the evening, just to have a look. Old Town San Diego is the old centre of San Diego and shows the mexican/spanish culture. It´s a nice place to be and find some gifts for your people at home (but it´s to expensive so you should only take a look and buy the stuff a day later at walmart or else)
It´s also nice to have a wonderful open air diner. But as said we were both not very hungry for the moment. We just bought some really hot chili stuff and we saw many things with worms inside but not one bottle of tequila with worm.
For the rest of the evening we went back to the city and had a nice walk throught the gas lamp quater. That such a nice spot for the evening. Much brick. Everywhere are people sitting in bars and restaurants and it was a real summer evening ambiance in the middle of october. I fell so in love with San Diego and this year round summer feeling.
To finish our day we made some shopping at horton plaza (My friend bought some sunglasses for me :-D) and after some hour since our zoo meal it was good to have the hunger back. We bought a HUGE cinnamon with frosting and everything and a Panda Plate at Panda Express. Went back to our Motel and there we were eating on the bed and watching an american movie (target group: women with realtionship problems but the right thing fot such an evening).
And that it was: Our first day San Diego!
Another great trip report!! Can't wait to see some pictures of San Diego, so keep posting!!!
Quote from: "dagobert"Another great trip report!! Can't wait to see some pictures of San Diego, so keep posting!!!
Thanks! The pics of San Diego are soon here. First I deliver the other pics between Disneyland (3. day) and San Diego (hope that also ok :mrgreen: )
11.10.:(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag8_1.jpg)
[strike:3jtz9p1t]Tom Sawyer´s[/strike:3jtz9p1t] [strike:3jtz9p1t]Adventures Isle[/strike:3jtz9p1t]Pirates Lair
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag8_2.jpg)
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag8_3.jpg)
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag8_4.jpg)
This people are really waiting for fantasmic in the evening...hours later...
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag8_5.jpg)
Our Tiki Room Pineappppple super desert
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag8_6.jpg)
The evil pumpkin king
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag8_7.jpg)
The evil pumkin king and his evil pumkin king castle
12.10.(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag9_1.jpg)
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag9_2.jpg)
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag9_3.jpg)
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag9_4.jpg)
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag9_5.jpg)
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag9_6.jpg)
Xena or something...
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag9_7.jpg)
I HAVE THE SAME SIZE AS CLARK GABLE!!! (gone with the wind music in the background, sky turns red, tara in the distance...)
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag9_8.jpg)
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag9_9.jpg)
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag9_10.jpg)
The Pin Traders Sundae at the Soda Fountain with an exclusive Pin Traders Pin Limited Edition, LOOOTS of ice cream, hot chocolate, marshmellow cream, sprinkles, cream.....
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag9_11.jpg)
My new friend between LA and San Diego. He love the sundae at SF too.
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/Tag9_12.jpg)
Horton Plaza, San Diego
We definately have to go to the Disney Fountain and Studios Store. This sundae looks really delicious. Great pictures by the way!!!
Next Part:
14.10 A wet experience at Sea World, cocktails at old town, Fishermen´s village and again the gaslamp quarter
Today was our Sea World Day at San Diego. With our Southern California City Pass we had that again included. We made an early-bird day and had the luck that we were one of the first visitors at the carpark. The gates were open, even the park had an later official opening time. So we took a short walk at the entrance area, ate a giant coookie and watched a - weird - thing. At the official opening hours Sea World plays the national anthem. But that not all. At the official opening hours of Sea World EVERY american visitor freeze with their hands on their hearts cause they play the national anthem. For a german that is a really bizarre move. We asked our self
1. why are they playing the national anthem to open a theme park and - even much more important -
2. why have all the armericans their hand on their heart, freezing, some singing their anthem...
It was really embarrassing. Thanks god I had my giant coooockie to hold something. But that was also the cause of some hard glances of an old american. But ok. We had here in germany this times some years before around the thirties.
But OK the official opening was over and we learned that the visitors wasn´t some display dummies, but normal humans that could WALK! We took our tour through the park. The first thing we saw was the breakfast for the baby whales. A good start for the park. We then took the way to the starfishs where I pet some of them. It´s cool that cou can touch this little friends. We saw many delphins (you can make a delphin therapie there at the "Delphin Encounter"), fishes, whales etc.
They have also some shows there. Seals-shows, soon a new delphin show and of course the biggest: The Shamu the whale show. Again that was one of the strangest things ever. Mostly cause of the beginning, where a sea world team member told the audience to stand up if they had some warriors figthing in the wars around the world for the peace of america. We should to think about all our army members in Iraq, afganistan etc., the woman told us. After something like a speech out of a Bollywood masala movie a silent moment and a big clap there was two bit scared germans in the big shamu stadium. The show started and we were happy about it. But all this things aren´t really fitting to a theme park.
But back to Sea World. Sea World is a great park for a day and it´s wonderful to watch all these animals. Most of them very near.
Also the other attraction are solid. We had much fun on Atlantis ("Aquatic Coaster"), the sesame street (YES I HAD FUN) movie etc.
I had a very wet expierence on the rafting attraction (very high themed! Great)...I saw many people in the queue with rain ponchos. I asked my friend "Shouldn´t we buy a rain poncho???" "WE ARE MEN" he said. After the next steps there was a little rain poncho shop and cause everyone had a rain poncho I asked again "Shouldn´t we buy a rain poncho???" "We don´t need one of this 3 $ rain ponchos" he said. "EVERYONE has one" "We are men! we don´t war rain ponchos" ... After the rest of the queue we were in a boat with men, women, childs ALL wering rain ponchos. An I know why! I was wet. My clothes were wet. My underwear was wet. My shoes, socks, hair, everything was wet. If someone in the queue at Sea World sells rain ponchos BUY ONE!!!!
Thanks god it was San Diego which means hot climate. So after some time and after I take off everything that hadn´t the chance to get dry again the rest of my clothes was dry again. It was late in the afternoon and so we just took a tour at the observatory tower and then we made our way to Old Town San Diego where we had a wonderful mexican meal under the sky. And wonderful cocktails!!! Try them! Great!
Later in San Diego we visited the Fishermen´s village (very nice village. Looks like a Newport Bay Club Disney Village. They should really take this whole area to Paris!). And last thing on our day list was again a visit at the wonderful gaslamp quarter. San Diego is such a wonderful city! Yes it is!
Glad you loved San Diego. It is one of my favorite cities in the world. as for the patriotic stuff, that is normal in schools, board meetings, everywhere. It is a part of the culture.
I was also a little bit confused during our semester in the US, that US-Americans sing and play their anthem before every football-, soccer- or baseball game, even in colleges. You will not find this here in Austria, too.
I think they are more proud of their country than we are.
Again a great trip report. Thanks a lot.
Ok it take really time, but here´s the next part of my TR:
15.10 San Diego Coronado with another "Disneyland Hotel", a wonderful beach and a move on toward palm springs
Today was our last day at San Diego. To celebrate this day we had a special thing to do: Coronado Island. Coronado is a "peninsula". Very well-kept, something for the richer guests of San Diego it seems. But there´s one big thing at Coronado you have to do as a Disney Fan: Visit the ,,Del", ,,The Hotel Del Coronado". The ,,Del" was and is the archetype for the newer Disneyland Hotels (Paris, Grand Floridian WDW, Hong Kong,...). That mean the imagineers designed the Disneyland Hotels with this Hotel in mind. You can see it clearly if you are standing in front of it. The wonderful thing is, that it lays there directly at the sea and the white shining beach. Looks really wonderful. We made many pictures of course and rest a bit at the beach. So if you are at San Diego visit Cornado and have a clear look for the ,,Del"
The rest of the day was a driving day. Cause we had to be at Palm Springs this evening. For San Diego I can say: That´s such a great city! It remembered much at San Francisco but with some mexican influences. San Francisco and San Diego are now my favorit cities of California. I love both so much!
The journey to Palm Springs was also interesting. You pass the desert and weh ad only a short break (we drove to fast and a officer from the highway state police told us about that and that we shouldn´t believe hookers at Las Vegas: prostitution is a crime! He was very nice to us but the fast ticket cost us around 200 Dollar)
Palm Springs is a city of Country Clubs. You will find a country club at every street. We just went to the Cheesecake Factory and haven´t done much more in the evening.
16.10 Driving Day from Palm Springs to Williams
The next day was our second driving day. At the end of the day we should arrive Williams (the gate to the grand canyon). Palm Springs in the morning hours is great cause it has around 30 °C and that´s heaven for me. Williams is a very small town next to the Grand Canyon. There´s also the train station for the Grand Canyon train. But...not much more. It´s one of this little towns along the historic Route 66. It was a bid weird to be there. Especial because at every shop/cafe etc. was a big sign ,,NO WEAPONS". But it´s a good stop for a one day trip to the Grand Canyon. And that was what we does the next day.
17.10 Grand Canyon National Park
Early in the morning and after a supermarket starbucks breakfast we made our way to Grand Canyon National Park (South Rim). From Williams you can choose different possibilities to get to the National Park. You can choose the train or you can take your car. We took our car. It´s around 40 minutes till you arrive the national park where you have to pay an entrance fee (the min. was a 7 day pass). For the fee you can use the Grand Canyon transportation system for example. So if you aren´t that good on your own feet, you can take the bus to the different stops around the rim. We choose the bus to get at one end of the rim (Hermit´s rest). There we took a long walk around the rim till we arrived again the base camp. It´s a wonderful walk along the rim. You see so much! We learned that you have to should out "COLORADO!!! THERE´S THE COLORADO" if you see the Colorado. We saw it many times and everytime a little child was next to us screaming out "THERE`S THE COLORADO!!". Quiet fun. The Grand Canyon is a wonderful natural and magical wonder. What impressed me the most was that you don´t expect the canyon while you enter the National Park. Looks like a normal wood or something. And then out of the blue he´s there! After our first walk we took again the bus to the other end of the south rim where we walked some stages. For some we had to take the bus cause there wasn´t always a path to walk around. Even not at California, the Grand Canyon National Park is a nice side trip you should take. It must also be great to sleep at one of the lodges inside the park area. In the evening all the animals went out of their refuge. We saw many many deers and harts. Much bigger and much more fluffy then our german/european ones. (Yes I love fluffy animals and I´m proud of it.)
It was a wonderful day at the Canyon and after we visited the IMAX cinema (somewhere in a little village not inside the National Park gates) at the later evening and had a meal we went back to Williams.
Thanks for the next part of your great trip report. Hopefully you will post some pictures.
We have been to the Grand Canyon in January 2008. We took a bus tour from Las Vegas to the GC. Unfortunately we couldn't see anything of the Grand Canyon, because it snowed and it was so foggy when we arrived there. So you can imagine that we were very disappointed. I think we have to visit the Grand Canyon again next time.
Thanks dagobert!
I will post the next pics as soon as possible. For today the next part of the trip report must be enough :(
18.10 From William to Hoooover Dam, from Hoooover Dam to Las Vegas and the experience of flat screens in bathrooms in combination with Jacuzzis
Today was our escape from Williams day. It was ok to leave this city, cause it scares me a bit with all this NO WEAPONS signs and the wild west ambiance. We drove through the desert again. For the evening we had a nice room at vegas but till then we had another landmark to visit: the hooooover dam. It´s interesting how light this dam is integrated in the canyon. They build a new bridge over the canyon to get a better "guest flow". At the moment everybody must pass the canyon road but in the future only the dam tourist will take this road. The other people will get the possibility to take the bridge. But back to the dam. There´s a own visitors centre for the dam. You can choose different tours and tickets. We took a middle ticket which gave us an impression of the inside of the building and the museum. It was great to see this masterpiece of engineering, the huge pipes and tunnels. There was also a group of squirrels out there. The Tour itself has the duration of an hour. And after we visited the museum at the newer visitors centre we visited the old visited centre where you can find a huge diorama, showing the water systems of the US.
After a walk over the dam (and the feeling having one foot at Arizona and the other at Nevada) we left the dam. Our new destination: Las Vegas. It´s really wonderful how unexpected the city appears in the middle of the desert. Desert desert desert - Las Vegas. Our hotel was a 6 star resort named ,,The Signature – at MGM Grand". Which means that it´s the better part of MGM Grand. Don´t feel bad about prices. The price for a room is really cheap if you book from europe. It was great from the moment the big gates opened for us. We had to do nothing by ourselfs. What to do with the car? Park service. What to do with the luggage? Luggage service. Where could we get something to drink? Already there. How to book a show? Just ask the concierge – he/she gets you everything you want. We had a room high over the city. At every floor was just a handful of rooms. I think around eight or so. Weh ad a wonderful view over the strip and a balcony (that´s special for Vegas). We had a huge bed, two TV Screens (one in the living room part and on in the bath room), a Jacuzzi, a kitchen, ... cool thing if your come from a Motel 6.
After we visited the room we visited our hotel. The Signature has a own separate area from MGM Grand. That´s great cause you won´t have casino visitors inside the floors and other people that want shop, dine or watch a show. It makes the hotel a lot more calm then the other hotels along the strip. To get to the strip you have to go through the MGM Grand. That said: All hotels at Las Vegas are huge. The time from our room to the strip was 15 minutes. 3 minutes to cross the signature part and 12 minutes to cross the different areas of MGM Grand (Casino, Show theaters, shops, restaurants, bars, pool, ...). You will find a little city in every hotel. With everything you need. I think that why some people never leave their hotels at Las Vegas.
For us: We found the strip and walked along it. The strip isn´t as I expected it. It´s a bit annoying. You will get many jostles and everywhere are some nerving people which try to give you a advertising card (red light district invitation). I said to my friend that I won´t take ONE of this cards the whole trip. We made a bet out of it and – I won! So if you make a game out of it it could be ok. But that´s the only possibility.
The card people are forbitten in front of the big hotels, cause they own the sidewalks. But there are so many gaps where you will find them.
The other thing is: The strip is longer then it seems. It looks all very small on the map. But to go from one side to the other means a long walking distance. At our first evening we just visited some of the big hotels and later then we went back to MGM Grand. We had a nice meal at the rainforest café (inside MGM Grand) and we celebrate our day with the VOLCANO sundae. Keep in mind that the whole restaurant will scream out ,,VOLCANO" if you get your sundae.
After our chocolate choc we went back to our room (15 minute walk inside the hotel) and fell in our bed.
Again a great trip report.
We enjoyed Las Vegas a lot. We stayed in the Gold Coast Casino and Hotel which is a little bit of the strip and not as nice as the hotels on the strip. We have been to LV during the Consumer Electronic Show, so it was nearly impossible to get a room for reasonable prices in one of the hotels on the strip.
Oh! That´s sad! But maybe next time. We get our room for much less then any other room in california. That´s why we choosed the 5 star superior hotel at the strip. :lol: Hope the prices are down again next year or the year after cause we plan again a little journey to the sun.
Now the pics parade of San Diego
San Diego Zoo
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/TagSD1.jpg)
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/TagSD2.jpg)
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/TagSD3.jpg)
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/TagSD4.jpg)
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/TagSD5.jpg)
San Diego Old Town
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/TagSD6.jpg)
Sea World San Diego
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/TagSD7.jpg)
->national anthem....
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/TagSD8.jpg)
touching stars
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/TagSD9.jpg)
star touchs riebi
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/TagSD10.jpg)
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/TagSD11.jpg)
Shamuuuuu the whale
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/TagSD12.jpg)
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/TagSD13.jpg)
soaked
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/TagSD14.jpg)
Disney Experience at San Diego: Uplike house contest.
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/TagSD15.jpg)
Disneyland Hotel Experience: The Hotel del Coronado
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/TagSD16.jpg)
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/TagSD17.jpg)
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/TagSD18.jpg)
(//http://www.christianriebold.de/DLRPForum/USA2009/TagSD19.jpg)
Thanks for the great pictures, Riebi!
Late and short next parts:
19.10 Las Vegas Show day with "Le Rêve" at the Wynn
For our second day in Las Vegas we first made a trip to a shopping outlet. That wasn´t the best idea of our life. I haven´t the perfect american size so I didn´t found anything. And by the way: The quality of the clothes at the outlet were near bottom. Nothing that you could really wear on street with a bit of fashion in your head. Interesting that much much people bought there much much not much fitting and ugly things just because there was a big SALE sign on it. The only shop were you can find quality stuff was the disney outlet store. There I bought some souvenirs from Disneyland Anaheim for really not much money. It was great! It was like someone took all the sale stuff from DLP into another shop and made again the half price on it. Just a great little outlet store.
For the evening we had tickets to one of these big las vegas shows: "Le Rêve" at the Encore theater (Encore/Wynn Hotel). Before the show we ate something at the Caesars Palace outsite counter. One of the best hot dogs ever! And we got even a frozen chocolate drink for free! Yummy! but back to the show. The show was really impressive and I just can say: Go to this show! It´s a nice acrobat action show with much music and fun....and a huge pool as arena. Another funny thing here were the americans. I sit next to a rich russian woman in nice evening robe and with a lot of diamonds at her breast. Not one of this cheap looking "I married my man because of money" russian girls - an older elegant woman. That was the european way to go into an theater. The american was to go in sneakers, flip flops with a big cup of starbucks coffee some popcorn and not that clean undershirt. Mostly 15 minutes later then the show started. It´s really embarrassing for europeans but with this russian lady next to me I had my anchor.
20.10 Las Vegas Fun Day
The next day was our LV Fun Day. We first made some shopping (I bought much stuff for less money at the FCUK Shop !!!SALE!!!) then we ate something at the cesars palace shopping center --> The Cheasecake Factory is inside!!! and we entered other shopping centers at the strip. In the early evening we made our way to Downtown LV, Fremont street. It´s fun fun fun! There was a magician from germany on stage. We both know and hate him from a TV show here in germany with Uri Geller. So it was fun to see how he had a big electric drill inside his body. :twisted:
The lightshow at fremont street is a LV must! It´s wonderful to see that here at the old center of LV with all this historic casinos around. Later we went back to the strip and made a little casino tour. I made 10 $ out of 5 :D/
21.10 Bridgeday at Bakersfield meeting a meal at the elephant bar
On this day we had to find our way back to san francisco again. We made a night stop at Bakersfield. There´s nothing interesting about bakersfield except an elephant bar were you can have a nice diner in africa.
22.10 Sacramento and meeting arnold schwarzeneggers assistant in front o arnold schwarzeneggers office
From Bakersfield we made our way to the capital city of california: Sacramento. We just made one night here but that´s enough to have a look at the city and the wonderful american buildings here. We visited the capitol and were both very intersted in mr. schwarzeneggers assistant. She came from time to time out of his office to take a letter or else for mr schwarzenegger in front of the door. Maybe mr schwarzenegger don´t want capitol members inside his office except her...
For the evening we made a walk at Old Town Sacramento. Nice way to get into the evening.
23.10 Fairfield Jelly Belly Factory and back to San Francisco
On this day two dream came true!
Dream 1: I love Jelly Bellys. I simply can´t stop to eat them. So it was a big dream to see the birthplace of jelly bellys! Thanks god thats at Fairfield, CA and between Sacramento and San Francisco! The Jelly Belly Factory gives you the option to come to a free factory tour. I felt like one of the kids that won a golden ticket for willy wonkas factory. The tour shows you every step of a jelly bean and teach you much about the beans, the factory history (THEY CAME FROM GERMANY!!!!!) and that the company had much more other products then jelly beans. After the tour you get a little bag with jelly belly. because I was that nice and made the tour with them. Aren´t that dreamlike person???? You are in paradise and you get something free cause you are there. Happy Riebi. Disney learn your lesson!!!
Dream 2: We went back to San Francisco. We know that we would use the next and final day for shopping. So this was the only afternoon to make my second dream reallity: The Walt Disney Family museum. Thanks good they had in San Francisco everywhere little flags and posters about the newly opened Walt Disney Family museum. It´s at the presedio. And it´s in a nice litte brickstone house. Inside all your dreams will be just a step away. You can see the oscars for snowwhite, you can see the original furniture of walts apartment at disneyland you can see pictures prices everything!!! So if you are at san Francisco DON´T MISS IT!!!
24.10 ONE DAY SALE AT MACYS!!!! and a nice meal at San Francisco´s FW
This day was a big goodbye to california and to san francisco. We knew both that we want to come back so it was a day to have fun. We made some shopping with a wild expierence at Macys: Ther was ONE DAY SALE! What means that masses of people were inside and masses of people try to help us to find our right clothes for every moment in our life. For the noon we went to FW to say goodbye to the sea lions, buy a lot of sweets and candy and then we had a nice dinnnner at boudins bistro. It was the right way to be again in this wonderful city and get the best from every side of it.
25.10 San Francisco Airport tooo-----> Frankfurt (26.10)
:( :( :(
Sounds like a great trip. I really think San Diego is a fantastic jewel that is often overlooked by European travellers. And the Vegas section was funny. I too love Vegas, and thankfully not all Americans dress like slobs (many these days sadly do). But growing up in San Francisco we would go to the ballet, opera or theatre and I was always made to dress up. And in San Francisco, that is very common to do so.
Problem is, Vegas attracts a lot of people from less "experienced" (?) parts of the US.
Glad you had a good trip though.
The Vegas experience was real fun for europeans. I think I like the city for 3 days or so. But not longer. Las Vegas remebers me much at a old ugly prostitute that took a D&G dress, much much much heavy make-up and a lot of diamonds just to look young and nice. First you will say: "What a nice dressed person" but after some minutes you will get the truth.
Funny was also that we didn´t found one restaurant that was open after the show. It was hard to get something to eat at las vegas after 10 pm. And because in my little hometown that isn´t a problem I was very amuzed about this diffrence. Saarbrücken Germany 200.000 people: Party times from 8 pm till 10 am in the morning, Las Vegas Nevada: Party times from 8 pm till 10 pm. Don´t come late!
I think the San Francisco people are much more educated, insterested in cultur and art (in a very nice casual way, maybe like the french are) then the rest I saw in California. The people at LA do it cause it´s chic, but the people of SF cause the want to know it.
Same for San Diego. That city remembers me much at SF. It has a wonderful climate and a wonderful lifestyle. Love this city as much as SF. I can really say SF and SD were the city highlights of my trip. Always nice to be.
That's why I always considered my self a San Francisican first and foremost. Funny thing is, so many other parts of America think we are crack pots (and maybe we are ;-)
But living in Europe for 24 years, yep, I have become even more so. Lol.
That´s so interesting that you find that big diffrences in one state! by the way: I saw yesterday a very poor "prejudice" test where they try to figure out if the prejudices we germans has against the us americans are true. They made everything true by a "just ask at the littles town in USA" base. It made me angry.
On the other hand if the SF way is the crack pots way I would be proud to scream out "Me = Crack pot!"
I am very proud to be a crack pot. What is funny is in the UK, they like to make fun of the people that do not have passports in the US, or that know little outside their borders. But the USA is huge. I have met people in the UK who have never been to London (their capital city) and no little of what is going on outside the UK. Ok, there may not be as many, but every country have people who only think local and those that think global.
Heck, I remember my friends in Wiesbaden making fun of Bavarians (particularly when Kohl was in power). Lol
The thing with this tv show was, that they were asking all this question in a very little town somewhere in the us. Let´s face it: They don´t went to a big university to ask people about the world, they ask somewhere where people are happy knowing their tree at the garden.
And bavarians are often the aim of big fun in germany :lol: Maybe cause most people outside would think bavarian = germany. With all this beer, and blue white flags and little boys in lether clothes....
In USA or california it was for me really intersting to get the mood of diffrent people in diffrent places and cities. I would also make a diffrence between california people and people of deeper arizona (williams was more shocking for me: There are really people with long beard, army clothes and weapons inside a city???) You simply see where people have much contact with tourist and where not. And you simply see where the attitude of people is more open and easy and where they are more proud and limited by own opinions.
Quote from: "Riebi"And bavarians are often the aim of big fun in germany :lol: Maybe cause most people outside would think bavarian = germany. With all this beer, and blue white flags and little boys in lether clothes....
:arrow: proud to be a Bavarian. (Though someone who only moved here...) ;)
Quote from: "experiment627"(Though someone who only moved here...) ;)
Don´t let know this someone over there :lol: :P
But you can put your mind at rest: I have nothing again guys wearing leather trousers and plaid shirts :mrgreen:
Lol, proof that stereotypes are everywhere......