Tuesday, February 21, 2012

California Adventure Oct 15-22, 2011(This covers 10.15-10.20)

So its vacation time!! This time I went to California, for the first time ever!!

We arrived in LA and went to Hollywood. We went to the Hollywood Wax Museum, which was like a Madame Tussauds. The likenesses were incredible!!





After this museum, we wandered down Hollywood Blvd, looking at the Stars on the Walk of Fame, and ending at the famous Chinese Graumanns Theatre, where the hand and foot prints are.











Finally, we went to the Guiness Book of World Records Museum, before boarding our Amtrak train to Anaheim, CA.




Oct 16

We have three days to explore Disneyland!! We go to the original Disneyland today. It is similar in many ways to the Magic Kingdom in Disney World, but where Disney World has upgraded many of their rides to be more modern, Disneyland has maintained it's original rides for the classic feel! Rides like Mr Toads Wild Ride, 20000 Leagues Under the Sea(Though that has been redone to be Nemo-themed, but it's still the same ride that Disney World used to have!) Pinocchio's Adventure, Snow Whites Scary Adventure, etc still exist here! There is also a couple of "lands" that Disney World doesn't have: New Orleans Square, which is French-themed, and Toontown, which has the unique Roger Rabbit ride. Disney World got rid of Toontown awhile ago, so it was nice to see again! Disneyland also had more opportunity for pictures with the characters!












Oct 17

We spent the day at Disney's California Adventure, the new park that has been open about 10 years. I really liked this park! More adult rides, less crowds, an awesome Aladdin the Musical performance, and Boardwalk games that enabled me to win a big stuffed Goofy, a big stuffed Dumbo, and a small stuffed Timothy the Mouse(from Dumbo), as well as stuffed lobsters and crabs :) I would go back to this park any time!!











Oct 18
We went to the Disney Market Place today, and back to Disneyland for Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. The best thing in the Market Place was the Lego Store :) Huge difference from Downtown Disney, in FLA. There wasn't nearly as much to do here. The Halloween Party was fun, many opportunities to meet characters, but I stuck to just the Villians, as they are my fave! Not as organzied as Disney World's Halloween Party by any means, they weren't as strict about people with arm bands, but you were able to get as much candy as you wanted--we must have taken home about 5 lbs--and the lines for rides weren't long at all!
















Oct 19

We boarded Amtrak again for San Diego. We saw HAIR at the Civic Theatre(YES, the same HAIR I had seen previously 3 times in NYC!! I HAD to see this cast one more time, they were that amazing! And I wasn't disappointed at all!! They gave the same wonderful performance that I had seen so many times previously! I bought a HAIR t shirt and a hoodie :) It was a fun ordeal to find the theatre. NO ONE spoke English on our trolley, and they ended up giving us directions...that took us to almost Mexico...to the Navy base. We got back on and headed back, finally got right directions. We had missed rush by ten minutes, but the box office was awesome and let us rush anyway after they heard our story and where we were from :) Got orchestra seats for $22.50! Cheaper than I'd ever paid even WITH rush in NYC! And of course, I got myself on stage with them after the show ended :) After the show was done, they had a talk-back, which I stayed for. It was interesting, people asked questions and the cast responded. I didnt get to ask anything, but I enjoyed listening and just being there!! After, while we were waiting for our trolley, an occupy protest was going on, and walked down the street right past us! Kinda interesting :)




Oct 20

We spent the day At Sea World, San Diego. Cute park, not nearly as big as Florida's. Many of the same attractions, but I love being around ocean creatures, so it was a fun day!! COLD day, who knew how cold Cali could get???