Disneyland Spring 2025 Pixar Place Trip 15
This trip we went to Disneyland in California. Our niece Kiera went with us. We had never been to Disneyland in California. We stayed at Pixar Place. It was the new hotel there. Disneyland is different but the same (ha!). They’re only two parks they are“Disneyland Park“ and “Disney California Adventure“. The big difference I saw was how the entire Disney area was so much smaller than DisneyWorld and it was right in the middle of a neighborhood. You could walk right across the street to both parks. Even though it was smaller, it was still the Disney feeling. So our room had a window that opened to California Adventure, so at night when we got back to the hotel all the lights were still on in the park so it was a great view. I would sit over there and look out for a while. The first night we ate at Goofy‘s kitchen. It was a buffet character dinner. It was a regular buffet food and it was pretty good. Goofy and Friends all came around so it was cool. We even got a pic with Goofy at the front. We walked around downtown Disney after that and just looked at stuff. It was cool seeing new stuff and especially seeing new Disney stuff. The next day was our first Park day. We went to California Adventure. To get in was a little different. Since we stayed at the Disney hotel, we got to walk across the street and go in at the entrance that was on the side. When you got in you were already in the middle of the park. So we walked right in front of the Ferris wheel (that would almost kill me later in the day). We were there really early. So the new Cars Land was open and we went straight to that. It had a Route 66 that you would walk down and at the end of the road you got to the car ride that went through the mountains. It was similar to test track as far as the type of car you rode in. You took a scenic trip through the mountains and things would pop up and surprise you. Like cars coming at you and stuff like that. https://photos.app.goo.gl/3os9xGiMoAQozgyM6
When you started down Route 66 you walked all the way through Radiator Springs. You walked by all the rides that involved all the characters. There was a small ride, kind of like bumper cars that was a Mater ride. Then the Luigi tire place was a ride that used the magnets under the ground. The cars did a dance to Italian music. You had the Cozy Cone motel and Mady got a pic with Mater there. She got a pic with Mater when she was younger as well, so it was cool to have the same pictures taken. Then you could eat at the the Drive-in Diner just like they had in the movie. It was really cool and can’t wait to see the one at Disney World. We also went to the area that represents the streets in California. There were some neat shops we saw an avenger show and there was a Spider-Man ride. The Monsters Inc. ride was really cool too. Moving into Pixar Pier was an exciting adventure. You had the roller coaster called the “Incredicoaster“ it resembles the Texas cyclone and I actually enjoyed riding it. It was outside and I think that’s what made me OK with it. Just like the cyclone at AstroWorld. It had a long runway that shot you out and up as the ride started. It was right next to the water so it sprayed water as it took off. https://photos.app.goo.gl/QQ2f3k2D1SekHDLTA
It was smooth and I really liked it but then we moved to the Ferris wheel. It is called “Mickey’s Fun Wheel” and it scared the heck out of me. It is a huge Ferris wheel, but it doesn’t have just one car. It has a secure one that is on the outside and also has one that can sway back-and-forth on the inside. We got on the one that swayed. So the ride starts and everything is peaceful. I was checking out the scenery. Well my back is to the part that would swing back-and-forth. Mady and Kiera can see what is about to happen. There is a bar they can see that will make our car swing back and can feel like the car is falling. They can also see the cars ahead of us swinging back-and-forth. So as it gets higher on the wheel and I’m still relaxing watching the horizon and enjoying looking over the park we start moving back. All of a sudden the entire car start sliding back like we’re about to slide off the ride and plummet to our demise. I freak out! Eyes huge and I try to move forward on Mady, Tres and Kiera’s side. Mady is dying laughing. (have attached the video by the way). Anyway, I’m panicking and jumping around and I’m trying to grab stuff and secure myself to try and stop the car from moving. The video is really funny. I love hearing Mady laugh so hard. I act like I don’t, but I always like when Tres and the kids make fun of me. Makes me feel like they really do love me. Anyway, the Ferris wheel continued and it eventually leveled out, but it had to go around another time before it completely stopped. Mady had to pee the entire time. She was laughing so hard and when we got off, she had to run to the restroom. All and all it was a memorable experience. https://photos.app.goo.gl/gYCSKMZyLdDZYyKL8
Well we carried on and did the other rides at Pixar Pier. At night we went back to Radiator Springs. It was really cool lit up at night, just like the movie. Unfortunately Tower of Terror was closed. At night there was a really cool water show. They would show scenes of different movies on the water as they play the music. It was incredible how you could really see the scenes up against that water that was spraying. Only thing is we froze to death or at least I did. I didn’t have a jacket at the time. The Ferris wheel lit up. It was a cool show.
Next day we went to “Disneyland Park“ my first thought walking in was, that everything was so much smaller. Don’t get me wrong, it was still Disney just not as big as Magic Kingdom. The castle is much smaller, which made main street look shorter. It was still magical and everything was pretty much in the same place.https://photos.app.goo.gl/UPfC755jAgYvwVGB8
Of course we went towards Tomorrowland first. We found it strange that not all the food services were open yet and decided it must be a California thing of people sleeping in. One of the most famous rides is the “Matterhorn“ it is the first tubular steel track roller coaster ever. It was there when Disneyland was opened. It is a bobsled ride set in the Swiss Alps. It was cool to be on one of the original rides. But man was it bumpy. The coolest things I saw that morning was “Mickey’s Toontown” it was incredible. There was a simulated little town and sky with fake mountains in the background. That’s where Runaway Railway was also.https://photos.app.goo.gl/UPfC755jAgYvwVGB8
It’s a Small World was bigger. Then we went to Galaxy’s Edge. It was the same as Hollywood. Pirates of the Caribbean was different. It is set in like the French quarter of 18th century. The ride itself goes through the Bayou of Louisiana and you ride by a restaurant like you do in the three Caballeros ride at Disney World. We would end up eating there. Other than that the ride itself is the same. It’s just stuck in the middle of the town of New Orleans. Tiana‘s and Haunted Mansion were the same, but we’re closer to each other and Haunted Mansion was set in a smaller house. But Tiana‘s was another story. So the log ride in Disney World holds two people in each seat. So they are heavier. And the ride at Disneyland there is one person in each seat. So they are lighter. As we rode the ride, we start off one little drop. Me and Mady are in the front two seats. We get wet on that one little dip. It is about 50° outside so we are thinking oh crap. Sure enough as a ride goes on. We get more wet. Then at the big drop the water comes over the top and then we get soaked. I mean totally drenched. Our wallets soaked, hats, all our clothes including underwear, shoes, and socks. We stop and get out and are freezing to death. Tres had to buy a towel just so we can dry off a little. But our feet were totally wet. We had to take everything out of our wallets and put them in a Ziploc and it’s not like at Disney World when you walk around in the sun for 30 minutes and you are dry. It was 50°. We had to go buy me a new shirt and a hoodie just so I didn’t get pneumonia. Mady was the same way, luckily she had a bought a shirt. It was quite the experience. After that, we had dinner at that place that was inside pirates. It was good, Cajun food. I It was called “blue Bayou”. Then we went to watch the fireworks and I’ll have to say even though it was Disney, it does not compare to Magic Kingdom at Disney World. Everything was pretty much the same. It was magical as always. I guess my home is still at Magic Kingdom, but it was a memorial experience and I would sure go back.
Y’all be safe out there!!