Category Archives: Travel

Thursday’s FanX 2024 Plan of Activities 1st Look

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As with every comic convention, scheduled panels can be rescheduled and moved in an instant. This happens for several reasons, most of which have to do with a celebrity’s livelihood. If you get a gig, you gotta go do it. As long as fans remember this when planning their comic con visit, they will be able to embrace the change. FanX 2024 will be no different. Somethings may get changed, and we’ll just have to make sure we are prepared to enjoy other aspects of the convention when that happens. That disclaimer out of the way, here’s where I think I will be going with the schedule as it stands on Sept. 7, 2024.

The Pirate Rules for FanX

The first and only rule I follow, which is more of a guideline really, is: Choose one thing every day that I would like to accomplish. When I go with someone else, we make it two things. As long as these two things get accomplished, everything else is gravy. If they don’t get accomplished because something changed, that’s okay, too. We won’t be disappointed because we are ready to face that contingency.

The FanX Multiverse

It looks like FanX 2024 features two timelines: one starts on the hour, and one starts on the half hour. That means you’ll need to be aware of those panels that start in the middle of other great choices. It also may mean waiting longer for a particular panel if you happened to have gone to a panel on the alternate timeline. (Use this time to visit the Vendor floor and seek out some local artists and creators. Support them in their endeavors and you’ll have more than just a treasure to take home for yourself.)

Thursday’s FanX 2024 Schedule

Thursday’s must-see panel is Anthony Daniels, the man who brought C-3PO to life. I’ve met Tony Dyson, who built R2-D2, at a comic on in Malta. I met Peter Mayhew, aka Chewbacca, at one of the earlier FanXes. I’ve seen Carrie Fisher on stage, so Anthony Daniels just seems to fit with what I’ve done so far. His panel is scheduled for 6pm, which means we have most of the day to do whatever else we happen to fall into.

Kicking Off FanX2024

Thursday’s FanX 2024 panels kick off with a tribute to Jack Kirby at 12:30. CelloCat is playing at 1:30pm. It’s between two and three that we have our first conflict. Sam Jones and Will Conrad of Flash Gordon fame will take the stage at 2pm. Paul Williams, who I know from the Muppet Movie and Smokey and the Bandit, as well as some of his amazing songs, and Randy Quaid, from a bunch of movies including Independence Day and the Christmas Vacations, have their respective panels at 2:30pm. For me, it’s Paul Williams. His work with the Muppets is enough for me to want to see him, but his musical contributions put him over the top. You can’t go wrong with any of the three; it’s just a question of who do you feel most connected to.

However, Williams’ panel will bleed into the 3pm hour, which means missing out on Matthew Lillard, aka live-action Shaggy among other characters. Lillard is likely comedy gold. Other panels happening at this time are “Low Observable Technology” about a real-world cloaking device and “Imagine If? Remaking Disney’s Lands.” I’ll have to think about this more, but right now, Paul Williams is still the front runner.

Thursday Afternoon

At 3:30pm, the decision is between Star Wars Villains and a Voice Actor panel, which is sure to be great. However, 4pm has panels dedicated to Little House on the Prairie, a show that still carries relevant themes, and Napoleon Dynamite. Garret Hedlund from Tron: Legacy will also be doing his own panel, but the big draw will likely be the She-Hulk panel with Jameela Jamil and Patty Gugenheim. At 4:30pm, Daniel Logan will be holding court in his own panel, and there is the intriguing “No harm ever came from reading a book” Mummy celebration of 25 years.

Thursday Evening

At 5pm, Analyzing the opening music of Anime seems like the best panel for the hour, but it does compete with the High School the Musical panel of celebrities. Jennifer Blanc will be presenting at 5:30pm. However, since these both lead up to Anthony Daniels, it is questionable as to whether I would risk missing the Star Wars star. The HstM group is in the same room as Daniels, so I may see them by default. (Don’t get me wrong, I’ve seen the movies, so I know the people in the panel. It would be a joy to see them.) At 7pm, Brandon Sanderson holds court in the same room, so I may just camp out there for the three panels.

Putting It Together

Coming up with a rough schedule of panels to see would look something like this:

  • Jack Kirby at 12:30
  • Cello Cat at 1:30 with a stop for food at some point
  • Paul Willliams at 2:30
  • 4pm is a toss-up with each panel having its own draw. This might be another good time to pony up for something to eat. Sometimes, you have to go by feel. I’m leaning towards Little House or Hedlund.
  • 5pm again is a toss-up, but since my main goal for Thursday is to see Anthony Daniels, I will likely opt for High School the Musical or food.
  • 6pm Anthony Daniels
  • 7pm Brandon Sanderson or going back to the hotel to post about Thursday’s activities and rest for the next day.

FanX 2024 will be a lot of fun, but it’s important to remember that it is supposed to be fun. As a reporter, I had an entirely different view of the convention because it was my job to cover as many panels as I could. Now, however, I can take it easier, relax a little bit and find those panels that will teach me something or that I will get great joy from. I also have to remember to eat and hydrate. Last, but not least, there is always something great to be found in the vendors areas – like Tank Tolman – I’ll need to make time for that during the convention as well.

What will you being doing at Thursday’s FanX 2024? I’ve prioritized panels, but there are other things to do as well. Leave your preferred schedule, FanX pirate rules, and other tips in the comments.

The next post will look at Friday when my panel “The Haunted Mansion Is Creativity” takes place. I’ll be discussing creativity tips using the Haunted Mansion’s history and structure as a guide. Get your book before FanX on Amazon or contact me at shadexaminer@gmail.com, so I can reserve you one of my copies.

Planning a Disney Vacation? Talk to Lynn Barron

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Every year, I contact Lynn Barron (at Lbarron@conciears.com) to find out what a package to Disneyland costs, and every year, he asks me the appropriate questions to get me the best package price-to-benefit available. Lynn’s expertise comes from more than his extensive travel experience. He is a former custodial cast member, who has parlayed his former work site into two co-authored books on the park and a successful Disney podcast.

Books and Podcast

Along with Ken Pellman, Lynn authored Cleaning the Kingdom and its sequel. These two books expose the dirty underside of the park and how the vaunted custodial crew keeps it clean. Featuring stories from several custodial cast members, Cleaning the Kingdom is a must have for any Disney enthusiast and for those who wonder how they keep the parks so clean.

Lynn and Ken also do The Sweep Spot, a podcast that covers all the Disney topics. It provides updates about the parks and has interviews with former cast members, Disney historians and authors, including me. These two media ventures help Lynn keep his fingers on the pulse of the parks, so that he can plan incredible Disney vacations for his clients.

Honeymoon and More

Lynn has arranged park visits for both my nieces, including one honeymoon and one trip to Walt Disney World. His recommendations and hard work have made these trips easier. More importantly, he has helped make the Disney parks more fun.

Lynn didn’t ask me to write this. I just wanted to give him a shout out for the joy he’s brought to my family. Disneyland is a magical place, and Lynn has increased its magic through his various endeavors. Thanks, Lynn.

How to Make Disney California Adventure a Two-Day Park

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When you go on vacation, you probably want to relax. You don’t want the stress of having to do things within a short amount of time. By scheduling two days at Disney California Adventure, you’ll be giving yourself more than enough time to get all of the attractions in during your trip. You could likely do all of the attractions in one day without much of a push, but if you get sick for some reason, the extra day gives you the opportunity to go back to your hotel room to rest up and recover your strength. You don’t have to worry about pushing through tiredness or other issues. Still, by midmorning of the second day, you might be wondering what there is left to do. If you don’t want to pay for a park hopper, here are ways to fill out the rest of your day.

A Typical One-Day California Adventure

You should always start your morning with a good breakfast. If you eat outside the park, don’t settle for one of those “Breakfast Included” meals from your hotel. Grab something filling and relatively healthy from a nearby restaurant. Otherwise, you can start in Disney California Adventure with a decent meal from Pym Test Kitchen. The breakfast food from the Shawarma Palace court was also pretty good. The only other choices, at least in September 2022, were the Starbucks Fiddler, Fifer & Practical Café on Buena Vista Street and the cappuccino cart at the intersection of the Pacific Wharf and the Pixar Pier Bridge. (Rumor has it that the Corn Dog Palace also served an interesting breakfast item, but we didn’t make it to that side of the park to find out.)

Once you have a good breakfast on board, you should head to one of the E-ticket attractions. If you have Lightning Lane, I suggest hitting up the Guardians of the Galaxy there, and going to Radiator Springs Racers if your stomach can handle it. Standby wait times for this attraction can reach up to two hours or more, so be sure to have your sunscreen and water on board before you get into line. (If you’re one person or a group that doesn’t mind being split up, try the single rider line.) The Lightning Lane for Radiator Springs Racers cost extra, so while it would be good for my Disney stock value for you to purchase it, finding a lower wait time is likely better for you and your budget. Do not expect wait times to get lower throughout the day; they remain pretty high.

The next attractions you want to look at are Toy Story Midway Mania, which had a Lightning Lane available, and WEB Slingers, which had a pay lane available. Grab the Midway Mania Lightning Lane when it’s available, and head over to WEB Slingers. The wait their can get to be pretty long, but while we were there, it was between 40 and 60 minutes.

Soarin’ is the last attraction where the wait times can get to be horrendous. It has a Lightning Lane, so you’ll be able to get on board at least once. Along with Goofy’s Sky School, which also has Lightning Lane, the standby lines were about 45 minutes. Monster’s, Inc.: Mike and Sulley to the Rescue often have longer wait times of about 40 minutes.

After that, it’s really a matter of what you want to do and what’s available as far as attractions go. Finish off Cars Land with Mater’s Jamboree and Luigi’s Honkin’ Halloween, and take a stroll through Pixar Pier, and Paradise Gardens Park to catch up with Pix Pal-A-Round, Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind, and the Little Mermaid – Ariel’s Undersea Adventure. You could also squeeze in the barely themed Silly Symphony Swings and the unthemed, leftovers of Jumpin’ Jellyfish and Golden Zephyr. If getting wet is your thing, Grizzly River Run is usually less crowded during the cooler times of the day.

During our trip, attraction breakdowns were common. Radiator Springs Racers was shut down the first time we tried to go on it. The Incredicoaster was also closed when we decided to try to ride it. We ended up missing out on the Incredicoaster.

One more thing to include in your day is the World of Color. If you have the Disneyland app, you can join a virtual queue, but I always suggest heading over to Wine Country Trattoria and choosing something from their World of Color menu. You just need to make reservations ahead of time.

Midway Mania and WEB Slingers

Both Toy Story Midway Mania and WEB Slingers use your arms to make the attraction more enjoyable. They are far enough apart, that your first rides can be consecutive. However, after that, you may want to wait until your arms have recovered to go again. It’s an unexpected and fun workout. (Start getting those fast twitch arm muscles in shape before you go. I’d put a link here, but I don’t know anyone who is doing those types of workout routines, especially for Disney Park attractions. If you do, let me know.)

What to Do Day 2

We finished our first day with only the Incredicoaster and Radiator Springs Racers left to do, and we didn’t have a plan for our second day. However, there are a lot of things that we could have done to fill our day rather than wondering what we should do while wandering around.

Ride ‘Em Again

Obviously, a lot of the appeal of a second day is the ability to get on the E-ticket attractions again, especially if you have Lightning Lane access. WEB Slingers and Toy Story Midway Mania are big draws because of their playability. You can try to improve on your previous scores, you are part of the show, and there is something to be said for the endorphins that come from the extra fast twitch muscle use. Guardians of the Galaxy is geared to provide a different ride each time due to its randomness. During Halloween, you get the added bonus of having Monsters After Dark in addition to the BREAKOUT! Version. Radiator Springs Racers has two tracks: one you get a paint job, the other gives you new tires. Mater and Luigi offer different songs to ride to though you’re likely to hear all of them while waiting for your turn to experience the attraction. You won’t find this specific Ariel Undersea Adventure anywhere else in the U.S.; the Walt Disney World Version is slightly different. But what should you do while you’re on your way to riding these attractions again?

Pictures with Characters

Decide to make it a day with character(s). If you have Genie+, all of the photos you take with the Photopass people are yours! That makes standing in line for characters, so much the better. If you don’t have Genie+, cast members are usually happy to take photos with your camera. Or you can opt for selfies.

Characters can be found on Buena Vista Street, at Avengers Campus, and in other areas of the park. Those who have a Disney Visa can take advantage of a special, time-limited photo opportunity. (Don’t have a Disney Visa? You can apply for one here where you can earn up to a $300 Statement Credit after qualifying purchases, and I can get a bonus.  Learn more. https://www.referyourchasecard.com/200a/N8NY3U2R9A!)

Animation Academy

Anyone who says Disney never gives anything away for free has never visited the Animation Academy. When you visit the Academy, you get to learn how to draw a Disney character from a Disney artist. It’s a hands-on experience, so you get to practice what you are learning, and you get to keep the paper you drew on. Sometimes, the Disney artist will also give away their drawing. It’s free, and it’s something that only the most knowledgeable Disney guests take advantage of. If you don’t have any money left for souvenirs, this drawing makes for a good take home memory. Even if you think you can’t draw, you should give this activity a try.

Other Attractions

Mickey’s PhilharMagic and Disney Junior Dance Party are two ongoing attractions where you can sit and enjoy something indoors. Coco has a party with his family in the Paradise Gardens Park. Spider-Man leaps through the air in his product testing show. Doctor Strange uses the mystic arts to protect the Avengers Campus from an other-dimensional threat. During other times of the year, parades may also be offered. These pleasant, and in the case of Spider-Man, amazing, shows provide a pleasant diversion that will help you appreciate Disney California Adventure all the more.

The World of Color

If you’re going to Disney California Adventure for two days, make sure you see World of Color both of them. The first time, you get a sense of where to stand for the performance. The second time, you can get there early enough to get where you want to stand. Jenya and I did World of Color twice, and the first time we stood behind a stroller. By the time the show started, we had two tall men in front of us on the left side, and a man who put his child on his shoulders on the right side. No one can be faulted for their height or for wanting to give their child a better view of the show.

When we went the second time, we were there early enough to get in front of our viewing section for preferred dining. Being ale to see the whole show without having to look through people made such a huge difference. There were even portions of the show that I didn’t see in the first performance because they were blocked by the taller people in front of us.

The Lowdown on Disneyland Resort’s Genie+

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You have to have a smartphone to access Disneyland Resort’s Genie+ in the parks. I suppose you could probably carry around a laptop or tablet, but neither of those is convenient. If you don’t own a smartphone, you can do what I did. There are several companies that offer pay as you go smartphones. $23 for the phone and $30 for the plan was more than enough to get me through five days in the Disneyland Resorts. I didn’t use the phone for anything but the Genie+ app, and the park Wi-Fi was generally strong enough outside the attractions to update with little to no lag. If you don’t have a smartphone in your party, Genie+ isn’t for you unless you’re just going for photos. So, what does Genie+ bring to the experience, and is it worth your while?

Genie+ and Photos

If you purchase Disney’s Genie+ service for your Disneyland Resorts trip, you get access to all of the photos taken of you by Disney photographers. This is called “PhotoPass,” and back in the day, it was a good way to include everyone in the photo. Fewer people were willing to take advantage of the photographers in Disneyland and Disney California Adventure, so it was relatively easy to get your money’s worth with photos. Now, there are lines in front of the iconic photo spaces, like Sleeping Beauty Castle and the big pumpkin at the beginning of Main Street, U.S.A. during Halloween. Still, it’s nice to be able to run into an unoccupied photographer and get a couple of photos, especially when they throw in a little pixie dust. It can be a good way to extend your day if you’re running out of things to do in Disney California Adventure.

Lightning Lane

Photos aren’t the only benefit of Genie+. Lightning Lane is the replacement for Disney’s formerly free service – FastPass. Because Genie+ is set at a specific amount per ticket per day ($20 as of Sep. 23, 2022), PhotoPass wasn’t enough to offer guests, even with the touted app “benefits.” Lightning Lane allows you to reserve a time at an attraction and to board that attraction with little to no waiting. Even the longest line we got in at the Haunted Mansion Holiday went relatively quickly as cast members herded Lightning Lane users through the phone scanners with phenomenal efficiency. You only get one Lightning Lane use per attraction per day – I guess lightning never strikes twice. Still, if you’re on a limited time schedule and you want to get through all the attractions in Disneyland, Lightning is well worth using.

However, there is a caveat. Some attractions that offer Lightning Lane, do so at an extra cost. Radiator Springs Racers, Web Slingers: a Spider-Man Adventure, and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance would allow you to pay to go to the head of the line. The prices differed by attraction and by day. At up to $20 a person, it might just be better to plan your trip to hit those attractions early in the day, avoiding both the crowds and the additional fees. Web Slingers had the lowest wait time of the two throughout the day while we were there, even getting down to 40 minutes, so that is the one I would least likely spend additional money on, even if it was the most fun.

Plus, seriously, think about what you can do with the fee before spending it on a three- or four-minute attraction. If it makes your vacation better because you hate standing in line, go for it. (It’ll help improve the value of my Disney stock.) But even at $7 a person, that’s a churro with change left over.

Other App Benefits

The app features quite a few IRL experiences. In Peter Pan’s Flight, you can find hidden objects in line that lead to Tinkerbell, and for a 45-minute wait, that’s something to do. Esmeralda and Fortune Red offer up tales of adventure – one card a day is free. (You can continue the adventure with additional coins if you don’t have the time to complete it.) And there are a series of Imagineer talks available to listen to. (I didn’t use those because I was with my wife and thought I should spend my time with her. We didn’t have headphones, either.)

While the app will plan your day for you, telling you which attraction you should hit next, the biggest benefit is knowing the wait times for attractions before you get to them. It was especially useful for knowing when attractions had broken down. If the stand-by line is unavailable, you know not to go there.

Mobile ordering for your meal is also available.

Disneyland Resort’s Genie+ Conclusion

Getting into the parks is expensive, the Disneyland Resort’s Genie+ allows you to maximize your time with its Lightning Lane and can bring more enjoyment through its games and IRL freebies if you are inclined to collect or use them.

Jolly Holiday Bakery Café for Surprise Breakfast

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Jenya and I decided to eat at the Jolly Holiday Café for breakfast on our final day in Disneyland. We stood in the standby line and tried to glance through the bodies of the people in front of to see what they had for breakfast. There was a croissant with egg, cheese and bacon, but we opted for something sweeter. We shared a cinnamon roll and a yogurt parfait. To drink, Jenya ordered a tea, and I ordered a caramel macchiato. Jenya found a place outside, and I gathered our drinks and food from the counter.

When I sat down to breakfast, I raised my caramel macchiato to my lips, tilting the cup as I did so. There was coffee on the top of the lid, and it spilled on my shorts. It didn’t seem to stain my shorts, and there wasn’t much anyway, so I didn’t think much of it. I wiped at the spot with a napkin and started eating. With every sip of macchiato, caramel was coming up through the straw in delicious waves of sweetness.

About half way through the meal, Jenya points out a yellow spot on my t-shirt near my shoulder.

I look at it and say, “What? Did I spill caramel on my shirt? How did that get there?” I swiped it away with my finger and put my finger in my mouth. “That’s not caramel…”

This will likely bring back memories for my sister when we were eating a meal at the Big Thunder Ranch many years ago. The birds were active back then, too.

Disney California Adventure Faces Change in Light of Failure: A Prediction

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In 2001 when Michael Eisner opened Disney’s California Adventure, people questioned the wisdom of building a park based on California in the state of California. Who would want to pay to see a fake Golden Gate Bridge or visit a fake beach side boardwalk when the real things were so close at hand? What was the point of having a mock-up of California when people could readily see the real thing? Park attendance was poor, and the project was chalked up as a failure. Still, Disney tinkered with the theme and the lands in an attempt to draw more guests over to Disneyland’s sister park. After all, part of the success of Florida’s Walt Disney World has to do with its ability to capture guests for long term stays, rather than just a couple of nights.

Marvel Takes Over

When Guardians of the Galaxy replaced the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Disney was starting to retheme a part of the park that had been aimed at children – “a bug’s land.” At the time, the casual guest may not have thought of it as such, but the Guardians of the Galaxy attraction, which was original placed in Hollywood Land, is now one of two attractions in Avenger’s Campus. The themed land appeals to fans of Marvel at any age.

But there’s more than a subtle switch from one land to another in this move. Hollywood Land is also being taken over by Marvel. Photo ops on the backlot feature Marvel character cutouts. Stores feature Marvel products. With no musical in the theater and the Art of Animation Building mostly closed (in September 2022), there’s every reason to believe that Disney will begin to retheme this space to something better. Currently, only the Animation Academy is worth visiting with Monsters, Inc.: Mike and Sulley to the Rescue being only slightly entertaining. Mickey’s Philharmagic no longer draws people (if it ever did), and Disney Junior Dance Party is strictly for the little ones.

So as Hollywood Land, with no stunt shows, no backstage magic, and only a tenuous grasp on the term “Hollywood,” is slowly consumed by superheroes, other Disney California Adventure lands are facing their own park identity crisis.

Cars Land and Pixar Pier

Cars Land is the easiest of the lands to show that it doesn’t belong in California. The fabled Route 66 did go from Chicago to Los Angeles, but Radiator Springs is located in a version of Monument Valley – a place in Arizona. It is clearly lacking in California character.

Pixar Pier has completely taken over Paradise Pier. All of its attractions, including the rethemed Flik’s Flyers, now called Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind, are themed to various Pixar movies.

Remaining California Lands

Grizzly Peak maintains its California feel, largely due to the Redwood Creek Challenge and Grizzly River Run. The idea of a California adventure has suffered here through the loss of Soarin’ over California. Now, simply called Soarin’ the attraction takes guests hang gliding through famous places of the world. The queue still features a history of California aviation.

Pacific Wharf is still largely California in flavor. The dining area features Ghirardelli, Boudin, and the Wine Country Trattoria.

Buena Vista Street is trying hard to hold onto its 1920 – 1930s vibe. The Red Car Trolley, still rolls down the street. The Carthay Circle Restaurant still serves food, and Walt and Mickey are still on hand with their suitcase and a dream.

Paradise Gardens Park

The last land is the most problematic. It’s a mishmash of characters and experiences that have no unifying theme. Paradise Gardens Park features Coco as a show attraction. “Coco” is based in Mexico, and while the roots of California are undeniably linked to Mexico; the state is no longer located in Mexico.

The Silly Symphony Swings are a somewhat clever retheme of a giant swing ride more fitting for a cheap thrill than a Disney style attraction; it’s a good example of Disney imagineers doing the most they can with the least amount of work possible. California averages about 11 tornadoes a year, so it’s possible that this Silly Symphony could take place in the state. Goofy’s Sky School is a mouse-style rollercoaster that is fun and cheaply rethemed, though brilliantly done assuming the budget for the attraction was small. The rollercoaster is a nod to California’s aviation history, in case you missed it at Soarin’.

Jumpin’ Jellyfish and Golden Zephyr were lifted straight from a seaside boardwalk or a carnival with no retheming. These two rides, they certainly don’t embody the term “attraction,” have nothing to do with anything Disney. It’s possible the Zephyr tips its hat to the Rocketeer, which takes place in California, but the mention is so haphazard, that it seems more like a coincidence than something intentional.

The Little Mermaid – Ariel’s Undersea Adventure was out of place when it opened in 2011. At the time, it had nothing to do with the theme of the park or the area. Within the first few months of its opening, lines were as short as five minutes. It’s not that the attraction is bad; it’s just not good enough to anchor an entire section of the park. This area’s lack of cohesive theme is something Darth Vader would find disturbing, and Disney should, too.

What’s in a Name?

The original theme park name was Disney’s California Adventure. The apostrophe gave ownership to Walt as the park did its best to create the atmosphere of California when Walt arrived with $40 in his packet and an Alice reel under his arm. Hollywood Land, Buena Vista Street, Paradise Pier were all set in Hollywood’s heydays.

Simply by losing an apostrophe and an ‘s,’ Disney California Adventure has become generic. When guests come to the park, they’ll have a Disney California Adventure. The park is in California. It’s run by the Disney company and has a lot of Disney intellectual property, and it’s an adventure. Still, there is likely a plan hidden somewhere deep in the Disney offices with a new name. Something that will create a better sense of identity for the park and what it offers. What do you think it will be called?

Depoe Bay Whale Watching from Land

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We saw whales today at Depoe Bay. Well, to be fair, it was likely one whale that kept coming to the surface. The whale had a pattern – one large exhale, three smaller exhales, and then dive. He or she stayed in the same area, and we watched from various points on the walkway along Depoe Bay’s main street, which also happens to be Highway 101.

One of the cool things about Depoe Bay is the whale watching center they have set up. This place could provide shelter during rainy days. However, the sun was out, so what it provided us was a closer view of the whale. They have this cool set up, where a volunteer runs a camera. The moving pictures are put on two TV screens – one of which is huge. Looking at the camera allowed me to orient myself to where the whale was appearing with regularity. We could then walk on the sidewalk and watch the whale.

If you haven’t been to Depoe Bay or you’ve just passed through, you might think that the only parking is along the highway. At least that’s what I thought until I decided to use some logic. Back behind the businesses are lots of parking spaces that you can use. The ones on the highway are usually filled, and it had been an impediment to me deciding to stop there on the spur of the moment. Now, I know better.

The Horn had good food. The hamburger was filling, and the tots with red pepper ranch were great. Jenya liked the Salmon sandwich, and we were full for two meals. The coffee was also good.

Depoe Bay is a nice place to visit, especially when the weather is dry. We’ll have to find out if we can get on one of the whale watching boats. Coming out of the harbor looks like an adventure.

Planning for Disneyland in 2022

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After COVID shutdown the Happiest Place on Earth, the Disney Company had to make some changes to how people visited in order to reopen. Gone are the days when you could show up to the park like Captain EO – uninvited and unannounced. When planning for Disneyland in 2022, reservations are required along with a valid entry ticket.

Planning for Disneyland 2022

As much as I like planning things (sarcasm), I probably should have left the chore to my friend Lynn Barron at ConciEARS. Lynn is the co-host of The Sweep Spot and he worked as a custodian at Disneyland for a number of years. His co-authored book “Cleaning the Kingdom” explores the way the Disney clean-up crew worked and played at Disneyland. Lynn likely would’ve made the whole thing so much easier. He even says that using him to plan your vacation doesn’t cost you anything extra.

However, if I had gone that route, I would’ve written a different blog post and not experienced the new way of doing things at the park.

A Ticket and a Reservation

Walt may have come to Southern California with a suitcase and a dream, but that won’t get you into Disneyland. You need to purchase a ticket and then make a reservation to the park you want to visit. This takes all the spontaneity out of a trip because you have to know what park you want to visit on what day. The choice during the holiday season may seem pretty obvious if you can’t get into the night party. If Disney California Adventure closes early because of an Oogie Boogie Bash Halloween Party on Wednesday, you probably should reserve your space at Disneyland, so you can go for the entire time the park should be open, instead of having to leave at 6pm.

On the positive side, it does allow Disney to limit the number of people coming into the park, which should provide smaller crowds and better customer service. We can always wish upon a star, that it holds true.

Restaurants and Reservations

If you want to have a special dining experience, you need to reserve your spot in advance. We were unable to get into the Blue Bayou, the Carthay Circle, or the Plaza Inn for a character breakfast. I suppose something could open up on the morning of our arrival, but I’m not sure we’re going to try to get there. Other experiences that require reservations were also booked full.

Bring the Smartphone

Most people have a smartphone. It’s just assumed that everyone does. I do not. I don’t want one. I don’t like them. And you can get off my lawn! That means that I’m going to miss out on a number of things in the park. I’m decently certain you need a smartphone to take advantage of Genie Service and Lightning Lane. I also think there are games to play in the park using a smartphone. I’d like to keep my flip phone, but this trip has me rethinking my stance on technological cra(p)ck.

A Package Deal

It used to be you could find a cheap hotel and get tickets separately to make the vacation less expensive. That no longer seems to be the case. Five days at the parks is $380 per person. Two people are $760. That made the Good Neighbor Hotel a bargain to stay at.

We’ll have updates as we get closer and after our trip. (Lynn Barron and ConciEARS are not responsible for the content herein. The endorsement is based on my knowledge of him and his past work. No funds or trade was remitted for this article. The link to Sweeping the Kingdom is an Amazon affiliate link.)

Snow White’s Enchanted Wish Replaces Snow White’s Scary Adventures

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When Walt Disney opened Disneyland in 1955, he included the “Snow White Ride-Thru” as seen in the guidebook “The Story of Disneyland.” Guests boarded a mine car and went on Snow White’s adventures, but many guests were disappointed. They never saw Snow White in the attraction, and they wondered why. Where was Snow White?

The missing princess wasn’t the only problem parents had with the attraction, which took them and their children on a 3D ride through the 1937 movie story line. The witch shows up numerous times, threatening, changing into the old apple peddler, and the mine cars head through the castle dungeon and into the scary forest, which in the film is a figment of Snow White’s imagination. This attraction was terrifying for some of the younger audience.

According to “The Disneyland Encyclopedia,” the attraction changed to make clear what was going on. Snow White was added to the interior, and “scary was added to the official attraction name. But why wasn’t Snow White in the original plan?

“The park achieved a kind of reality. Like these virtual reality games the children are playing with. I told them we were doing this 40 years ago! Disneyland is virtual reality.” – John Hench

www.wisesayings.com/disneyland-quotes/?sm=107073#107073

The attraction developers wanted people to experience the attraction as if they were Snow White. This may be one of the earliest examples of first-person shooters if you don’t count the Frontierland and other shooting galleries themselves. It was a way for Disneyland to immerse its guests in the films they loved, but for some this proved too traumatic, and even through 2019, Snow White’s Scary Adventures were, well, scary.

When Disneyland reopened after the COVID pandemic on April 30, 2021, the Snow White attraction changed names. It is now called Snow White’s Enchanted Wish. Disneyland Resort Creative Executive for Walt Disney Imagineering Kim Irvine said:

“The Snow White attraction has such a rich history. We wanted to take into account the beautiful scenic work that has always existed and retell the story in a special way. We believe guests will enjoy this sweet story line in a stunning experience.”

https://disneylandnews.com/2021/04/27/disneyland-park-reopens-with-new-magic-at-a-classic-attraction-snow-whites-enchanted-wish-celebrates-a-timeless-fairytale-in-fantasyland/

The Snow White Ride-Thru has been a part of the park since the beginning, and like the park, it was meant to change and grow. This latest incarnation reminds us of Walt Disney’s words, “Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world.” It also shows us that scary things can become less scary when we use our imagination to create new solutions.

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Tuatara Returned to Tiritiri Matangi Island in 2003

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Tuatara in New Zealand are the last surviving members of the order Sphenodontia that was around during the time of the dinosaurs. They like cool weather and have an average lifespan of 60 years though some may survive up to 100 years. In the wild, the tuatara can only be found on the islands around New Zealand. They are no longer on the mainland and went extinct when the Maori introduced the rat to New Zealand. In 2003, the tuatara was reintroduced to Tiritiri Matangi Island after an absence of 100 years.

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