Travel Review: Dolphin Discoveries

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Two excellent swims with this company

Cons: I’m not enjoying a third right now

The Bottom Line:

Swimming with sea life

Provides excellent service

Memories for life

Discovering the Wonders Under the Sea with Dolphin Discoveries

On my recent trip to the Big Island of Hawaii, my friends and I did plenty of snorkeling.  However, we also went out on a couple of group boats to see specific things.  We did a dolphin swim and a manta ray night swim.  For both of these, we went with Dolphin Discoveries, and we are glad we did.

The Dolphin Discovery Adventure was a morning swim.  We explored quite a bit of ocean before we found some, but it was worth it.  Watching them swim past us was incredible.  We found a good sized pod as well.  The picture is a still from a video one of my friends took that morning.

The Manta Ray Swim was at night, and it was also incredible.  We floated holding on to a light board, and the manta rays came right up to the board to feed on the plankton attracted to the light.  This one was a little cold despite the wet suit tops they provided for us, but that was my only complaint.  We were very lucky because the manta rays were there the entire time.  One of the guides mentioned some nights they only show up for five minutes, but we had a good group almost the entire time we were in the water.

Dolphin Discoveries provides everything you need, including snorkels, mask, and fins.  Or you can bring your own.  Or you can do a combination of both (which is what I did).  Double check on their website for what is and is not included so you are ready when you arrive.

The crew was very friendly and helpful, sharing some Hawaiian history as we went along as well as a bit more about the animals we were seeing.  It helped put the behaviors we saw in perspective.

Dolphin Discoveries is located on the Kailua-Kona side of the island.  In addition to the tours we did, they offer snorkeling and whale watching tours, so be sure to check them out to see if they will meet your needs.

If you are looking for a once in a lifetime adventure in the ocean, I highly recommend Dolphin Discoveries.  They are a fantastic company that knows how to deliver the experiences you are looking for.

Travel Review: Hawaii Zipline Tours

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Great scenery, fun and professional staff

Cons: I want to go again, but I'm home so I can't

The Bottom Line:

Hawaii Zipping

Perfect for a first timer

Beautiful and fun

Zip Over to Hawaii Zipline Tours for a Great Zipline Experience

I recently spent a week on the Big Island of Hawaii with a couple of friends, and one of the things I brought up to do was ziplining.  Now, if you know me, that might be very surprising since I hate heights.  With a passion.  But I’ve always wanted to try it, and some of the tours I was seeing looked great.  We wound up going with Hawaii Zipline Tours, and all three of us had a blast.

The company is located in Honomu, on the Hilo side of the Big Island.  Their zipline tour involves seven ziplines, each with increasing height, distance and speed.  That was perfect for me, since it meant I was able to build up to the biggest and scariest.  The first one is extremely short and not too far off the ground.  By the time we got to the final one, half a mile long over a huge gorge, I was ready for it.  Yes, I was still nervous, but it was such a rush that I enjoyed it.

The tour takes place out in farmland.  That means as you are waiting for your turn, you get to enjoy some beautiful flowers and some Hawaiian plants.

But you’ll notice I mentioned a gorge at the end.  Over the course of the seven zips, you actually zipline by two waterfalls and over gorges a total of three times.  And they are all beautiful!  My hands were firmly on the ropes the entire time I was going down the zipline, but I would have loved to take a few pictures as I was flying over the breathtaking scenery if I wasn’t worried I’d drop something.

The staff was friendly and talked a little about the plants we were walking past.  They double checked everything carefully at every zip, and I was quickly comfortable with their professionalism.

The picture is one I took from the top of the final zipline.  What you can't see from this picture is the waterfall you pass as you go down.  It was breathtaking.

I’m ready to go ziplining again now.  And if I am ever fortunate enough to make it back to the Island of Hawaii, I will definitely consider taking another tour with Hawaii Zipline Tours.

Travel Review: The Hermitage

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Interesting look at our seventh President

Cons: None

The Bottom Line:

Well preserved mansion

Chance to learn about Jackson

Great trip back in time

A Trip to Life on the Frontier in the 1800’s

Last month, I made my first trip to Nashville.  I was there mostly for business, but I had a few hours to kill one morning before I came home, so I decided to go to The Hermitage.  I am so very glad I did.

For those like me who haven’t heard of it before, The Hermitage was the home of Andrew Jackson, our seventh President.  While he was born in South Carolina, he spent most of his life in Tennessee, and bought the plantation outside of Nashville as a young man.  It is where he lived before, between, and after his gigs as a general and his two terms as President.

I wasn’t familiar with his life, so I was thankful that we started out with a museum giving us a brief overview of his life and accomplishments.  You can breeze through this section in 30 minutes and get a good idea about his life.  For example, he grew to fame during the war of 1812, winning the important battle of New Orleans, which took place after peace had been declared.  Makes you appreciate the speed news spreads today, doesn’t it?

Speaking of today, what I think struck me most was how little times haven’t changed in our country.  Andrew Jackson was swept to the Presidency in a wave of voters fed up with the corruption of Washington DC.  In fact, he’d won the popular vote but lost the Electoral College 4 years before he won the Presidency.  And during campaign, his wife’s past was a target for the other side.

It’s sad how little has changed, hasn’t it?

Once you are done with the tour (and finish up the museum before stepping outside), you can continue on to see The Hermitage itself.  The house has been loving kept so that we can view it today the way it was actually lived in during the latter part of his life.  It gives you a good appreciate for how life was 200 years ago.  The docents inside the mansion are very interesting and really help us understand what we are seeing.

There is also plenty of see on the grounds.  Part of the admission fee is an electronic guide that narrates for you as you go along.  Just enter the numbers on the signs to get more of a feel for what life was like during that time.

There is plenty of see around the property, so I do recommend you take the time to wander some.  There is the garden where President Jackson and his wife and buried.  There’s the cabin where the longest surviving slave from the plantation lived until his death.  There’s the original house where Jackson lived when he first bought the property.  They even grow a little bit of cotton during the season since this was a cotton plantation.  Plus the property is absolutely beautiful.

Being a plantation in the south before the Civil War, the Hermitage had slaves the entire time that President Jackson lived there.  They do a good job today of showing what life was like for the slaves during that time.  No, they don’t paint a rosy picture, and they shouldn’t.  They also discuss some of his mistreatment of Native Americans, although that isn’t focused on nearly as much as his treatment of his slaves.  As a result, I do feel the museum is balanced.  They show us what President Jackson did that was good while also showing his flaws.  Naturally, they do play up the good, but I would expect that in a museum dedicated to anyone.

I spent about two and a half hours there, and I felt I’d seen what I wanted to see.  However, if I had longer, I would have lingered more and listened to all of the electronic stops along the way.  I’d certainly love to go back if I were ever in the area again.

So if you find yourself in Nashville, make time to visit The Hermitage.  You’ll be very glad you did as you learn about one of our Presidents.

Disneyland Review: Paint the Night Parade

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Visual feast with creative use of lights

Cons: None

The Bottom Line:

Lights dance down Main Street

In one of a kind parade

That’s not to be missed

Vivid Colors, Music, and Fun Paint the Night

As much as I love Disneyland, I do my best to avoid the parades and shows.  In my mind, they are nothing but a pain if you are trying to navigate from one side of the park to the other, and if you want good seats, you have to line up hours in advance.  However, I’d heard such good things about the Paint the Night parade that I was curious enough to make an exception on my most recent visit.  I’m glad I did because I loved it.

This is the new nighttime parade, and the floats are designed to light up with so many lights you won’t miss a thing.  The parade starts with Tinkerbell and a Neverland inspired float before moving on to floats inspired by other Disney and Pixar movies.  That’s right, we see characters from both side by side.  There’s are floats for Monsters Inc., Cars, and the Toy Story gang along with ones for The Little Mermaid, Frozen, and other Disney Princesses before the parade closes out with Sorcerer Mickey and the rest of Mickey’s friends.  In between the floats come some pretty impressive solo walkers.  Some are giant characters, others are just cool things to look at.

Although, really, everything here is cool to look at.  This parade really is a feast for the eyes.  All of the floats are absolutely covered in lights, but these lights are often blinking or twisting in some cool fashion.  I just had to stare in awe at some of the floats as they passed by.

Accompanying the floats down the parade route is the soundtrack.  The music is always appropriate to the float passing by, usually a song from the movie or at least something from the soundtrack for the Pixar movies light on songs.  The songs have been given a slightly modern pop/rock update that allows them to all blend together seamlessly.

It’s easy to view this as an update of the Main Street Electrical Parade from the 70’s.  However, the technology evolution since then allows this to be a completely different parade unlike anything you’ve seen before.

For once, I was actually sorry to see the parade end.  I will definitely make a point to watch the Paint the Night Parade next time I am in Disneyland, and I highly recommend you do, too.  It is worth missing out on some lines and rides to enjoy.  Save me a spot at the curb.

Walt Disney World Review: Dinosaur

Stars: 1 out of 5

Pros: Um, um...give me a minute...um

Cons: Too jerky, jumpy, and dark with few visuals to follow what is happening around you.

The Bottom Line:

If I could go back

In time, I'd skip this ride.  Please

Learn from my mistake

The Longest Three Minutes of My Life

By the time I got around to riding on Dinosaur on my trip to Disney World a few years back, it was just one friend and myself.  This friend is a steady companion at Disneyland here in California.  The importance of all this will be explained later.  For now, just know that neither one of us enjoyed this ride in the slightest.

Dinosaur is located in the Dinoland USA section of Animal Kingdom.  The lines can obvious get pretty long, and the ride does use the Fast Pass system.  When I was there in late September, I bypassed most of the line and pretty much walked to the final wait area.  This area involves a video that sets up the ride.  There, we are informed that we are about to enter specially equipped time machines.  While the original intent is to go to the time when the dinosaurs are thriving, one scientist has changed our coordinates.  We're supposed to track down an already tagged iguanodon and bring him back to the present with us before the meteor shower kills the dinosaurs and traps us back in time.

From there we enter jeeps designed for around 16 people.  Each person gets their own seatbelt.  And we're off to the past.  We enter a world of the dinosaurs.  We get to see the plant eaters and the meat eaters.  Then the meat eaters start to chase us.  And the meteor shower starts.  All the time, the scientist is updating us on our mission via the computers linking us back to the present.  Can we find our target before time runs out?

This ride is designed to be a thrill ride, make no mistake about it.  While the cars are on a track, the hydraulics in the car bounce you around to simulate running for your lives over the rough pre-historic terrain.  Some of the dinosaurs pop out at you at the last possible second to scare you.  There are light, smoke, and wind effects.  And yet, at least half of the ride is in the dark with the lights only coming on long enough to show you the latest scare.

Now comes the part where my friend and I come back into the picture.  I love thrill rides (and non-thrill rides, too).  She enjoys most Disney thrill rides.  Neither one of us enjoyed this ride in the least.  When the three minutes were up, we walked off and vowed to never go back on it again.  Because it was in the dark, I felt like everything was closing in on me.  Speeding through the dark can be fun (we love Space Mountain).  But this wasn't fun in the slightest.

Frankly, our reaction surprised me since we both enjoy the Indiana Jones ride at Disneyland.  If you aren't familiar with that ride, it is the exact same type of vehicle and very similar type of ride.  However, that ride is lit almost the entire way through and things aren't jumping right at you most of the time.  This ride was just too jerky, rough, and dark to be any fun at all.

To ride, you need to be at least 40 inches tall.  While I don't recommend the ride at all, I especially don't recommend it for young kids.  They will be easily frightened by everything that jumps out at you.

I think if they just left the lights on, Dinosaur would have been a fun ride.  As it is, there's nothing thrilling about it.

Disneyland Review: Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

Stars: 5 out of 5 (Nostalgia and fun over true thrills)

Pros: Great theming and plenty of fun.

Cons: New effects in third lift; little real thrills for thrill seekers

The Bottom Line:

This mild thrill ride does

Provide twists, turns, old west fun

Smile for everyone

This Here’s Still the Wildest Ride in the Wilderness

Disneyland’s Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will always have a special place in my heart.  That’s because it was the very first roller coaster I went on.  Being the brave pre-teen I was (you can stop laughing now), I held on tight the entire length of the ride only to have a big smile on my face when I was done.  While I waited until college to go upside down (see, I’m still brave), I was hooked.

With Disney theming is everything, and that definitely applies to this coaster.  At any other park, it would be considered an okay attraction because it would just be steel beams holding up the track.  Here, they have given us a runaway train car in the middle of wilderness spires.  You can’t see much of the track while waiting in line because much of it is hidden behind the mountain that has been recreated here.

When you board the ride, you are seated in rows of two with just a simple lap bar to hold you into place.  That should tell you the real level of thrills you are about to have.  There are three lifts with coaster sections in between.  While you are careening around corners or going up the lifts, be sure to check for the little things Disney has added to the attraction.  There’s a waterfall you go through on the first lift (it parts for you so you don’t get wet) and audio animatronic creatures on the second lift for example.  You finish the ride by going by a western town.  Listen for the dialogue and laugh at the signs in the windows.

After over a year closed for a major overhaul, Big Thunder has opened again in March of 2014.  I got a chance to ride it last week, and it’s still just as much fun as I remembered?  Why was it closed for so long?  For one thing, they laid in all new steel rails.  I wouldn’t have said the ride was rough before, but it is very smooth now.  Heck, they should have done this to the Matterhorn during its recent rehab.  The also added bats during the dark part right before the first lift, which is a great illusion.

Then there’s the third lift.  I have a feeling this change will be the most controversial change to the attraction.  Before, while you were climbing, you saw the rock walls around you start to shake like from an earthquake or cave in.  Now?  A lantern accidentally sets off charges and the walls start to explode while you climb.  This is all done with animation projected on the walls.  There is supposed to be smoke that fills the chamber as you climb, but it wasn’t working when I rode.  I don’t know if that would have helped or not, but overall I’m not impressed.  While the projections are fun at the bottom, I grow tired of them by the time we reach the top.  Furthermore, the entire point of this ride is the real stuff you are going by.  This third lift obviously looks fake to me.  I wish they’d kept the rocks that looked like they were about to fall on you, but I always loved that part of the ride.  Heck, they still could have had the fuses on the bottom leading to those rocks at the top.  Yep, in this case they should have left the ride alone.

All told, this ride lasts about 3 minutes and reaches maximum speeds of 35 miles per hour.  It is disabled accessible (and they’ve added a nice new platform for that separate line), but you have to transfer to the ride’s cars.  Additionally, you have to be 40 inches tall to ride.

Of the roller coasters in the park, this is usually the least popular.  I have a feeling that will change, at least for a while, with this rehab.  Waits are often around 30 minutes or so, but again I expect these to climb, at least for a while.  The ride does offer Disney FastPass if you want to come back for a shorter wait later.

As you might have figured out, this ride isn’t high on thrills.  However, it is still very fun and is perfect for introducing kids to roller coasters outside of kiddie coasters.  It worked for me, obviously.

However, it can still move you around in the seats quite a bit.  I’ve wound up scrunched on one side of the car with my riding partner as one or the other of us slid across the seat.  It rarely happens, but it has.

My opinion on the enhanced features for the third lift might change as I ride it more and experience with it the smoke.  However, it is a minor complaint over all.  The heart of the ride – a fun roller coaster with great theming, remains.  Now that it has reopened, I will be back to riding Big Thunder Mountain Railroad on every trip to Disneyland.

Disneyland Review: Alice in Wonderland

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Fun trip through the movie

Cons: The outside doesn’t look that great; long lines

The Bottom Line:

Trip through Wonderland

California exclusive

Fun for the long wait

Fall Down the Rabbit Hole and Take a Journey with Alice in Wonderland

The kid in me still finds it hard to resist the pleasures of Fantasyland in Disneyland.  I love all the old characters and movies, and it is fun to go visit them in the dark rides that are a staple of this area.  One of the more popular ones is Alice in Wonderland, and it’s good.

This ride is a California only ride - the rest of the Disney parks don’t have it.  That might help explain the popularity.  It’s also unique among dark rides because it is multi-level.  Now, it still goes at one slow and steady speed, but it does climb as you enjoy the ride inside.

The ride is located around the corner from the main section of Fantasyland dark rides.  It’s next to the Mad Tea Party (appropriately enough) and across the walkway from the Matterhorn.  Unfortunately, the outside doesn’t look at nice as it used to.  The part of the track that takes you from the upper level to the lower level is outside and sits on some big leaves.  It also goes over the part of the track where you board the ride.  Unfortunately, OSHA has gotten involved and they have had to put on railings and build out the platform so it has lost much of its appeal.  I certainly get the need for employee safety.  I don’t want them to change it back.  It’s just disappointing.  I heard rumors once that they are thinking of redesigning it to fit with regulations but so it looks better.  I’d certainly be all for that.

The lines for this once seem to hover around 30 minutes and go up as the park gets more crowded.  It easily rivals Peter Pan’s Flight for longest lines in Fantasyland.  There is no height requirement, although little kids will be asked to sit on the inside of the seat.  If you can transfer to the ride vehicle, it is handicap accessible as well.  The ride vehicles are built to look like caterpillars and come in a variety of fun colors.

Once you are on board, you start your journey by following the White Rabbit down the rabbit hole.  It’s actually a dark tunnel and then you come to the door that opens into this wild and crazy world.  While we never see Alice, we do hear her as she chases the Rabbit around.  We have brief encounters with Tweedledee and Tweedledum, listen to the flowers sing and meet up with the Cheshire Cat.  From there, we head to the Queen of Hearts garden, play croquet, and wind up on trial for our lives.

At this point, we break free from the cards and head outside to the part of the track I talked about earlier.  When we hit ground level, we take a brief spin by the Mad Tea Party before we exit our caterpillar.

Like most of the Fantasyland rides, this one doesn’t do a good job of filling you in on the whole story.  They've only got 3 minutes and 38 seconds to work with after all, about part of those are outside.  Then again, the movie (and the books) are pretty random events, so that doesn’t matter.  In fact, that aspect of the story actually works pretty well for this ride.  You don’t have to follow much since each scene is separate.  Only the part with the Queen of Hearts tells much of a real story.

But that doesn’t make it any less fun.  The friend I usually go to Disneyland with loves Alice, so we always hit this ride.  Not that I’m complaining since I love just about everything there.  The animatronics inside look good and the colors are fun.  In fact, they are very true to their animated selves unlike a couple of characters in other rides.  Despite our run in with the Queen of Hearts, there is nothing too scary for young kids here, either.  They still might freak out, but there is nothing that is going to jump out at them or be too truly dark and evil.

Be prepared to wait, but definitely plan to take a ride on Alice in Wonderland next time you are at Disneyland.  It’s an experience you won’t find anywhere else, and it’s a fun trip through the movie.

Disneyland Review: King Arthur's Carousel

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Classic carousel...

Cons: ...Like you can ride everywhere else; themeing issues

The Bottom Line: 

Up and down, around

One a bunch of white horses

Classic amusement

Kids Still Love King Arthur's Carousel

Disneyland is filled with wonderful one of the kind rides you won’t find anywhere else.  Then there’s King Arthur’s Carousel.  Yet, it can still be fun, especially if you are there with little kids.

The ride is located in the heart of the Fantasyland courtyard.  As you walk through the castle, you can’t miss it.

And the ride is exactly what you’d expect from a Carousel.  It’s got a bunch of horses, mostly white, and a few benches.  When the ride starts, you go round and round and your horse goes up and down.

Looking for the Disney twist?  The best I can come up with is that the organ music that comes from the ride plays arrangements of classic songs from the various animated movies.  And they use stuff from the old classics as well as the newer movies.  Other than that, this is the same merry-go-round you can do countless places in America.

On the plus side, the wait is rarely very long.  I don’t think I’ve ever had to wait more than one cycle to ride it.  At most, it would be a two cycle wait.  On busy days, 10 minutes can seem good for anything, right?

I do have to rant about the name.  Why do they call it King Arthur’s Carousel?  There aren’t that many horses in the Sword and the Stone?  I will grant you they have a sword in front of the Carousel, and they have their “Sword in the Stone” ceremony there several times a day.  On the other hand, the pictures you go by on the inside of the Carousel are taken from Sleeping Beauty.  So again, where does the name come from.

Okay, rant over.

I would have given this ride 3 stars until my recent trip with my niece.  It was the end of the day, and we were killing time before they closed Fantasyland for the fireworks and we headed out to find a spot to watch them.  With nothing really on the agenda, my niece really wanted to ride the Carousel over and over again.  And she did, with Grandma and Grandpa tagging along since she’s only 3.  Every time she passed by, she had a huge grin on her face.  And they were getting off and getting right back on for the next cycle because the crowds were so small by this point.

And that’s when I realized how special this is.  Everywhere else, you have to pay by the person and by the ride to ride a merry-go-round.  Here, it’s part of the entrance fee you’ve already paid.  And for someone like my niece who loves these things, getting to go on them over and over again is a real treat.

Now, for my money, King Tritan’s Carousel over at California Adventure is slightly better because you get to ride on sea animals, but that’s a minor issues.

No, I don’t recommend paying Disneyland’s admission prices just to do this ride, but if you have a young one who enjoys them, King Arthur’s Carousel is a real treat.  Let them ride it a couple of times and make their day.

Disneyland Review: Dumbo the Flying Elephant

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: You can fly!  On an elephant!  And control him!

Cons: A long wait for a relatively short, basic ride

The Bottom Line: 

Long wait rewarded

With a chance to control your

Flying elephant

Your Child's Imagination Will Soar on Dumbo

While I say there is no ride in Disneyland I won’t go on, there are some I don’t make a point of going on.  One of those is Dumbo the Flying Elephant.  Yet I’ve wound up on it several times this year, and I’m reminded why it is so popular with little kids.

Naturally, this attraction is located in Fantasyland.  It’s at the back of the main area behind Kind Arthur’s Carousel and to the left of the big whale entrance to Storybook Land Canals.

Really, this ride is a glorified merry-go-round.  About a dozen large plastic vehicles are attached to a pole in the center.  These ride vehicles are molded to look just like the baby Dumbo.  One to two people are allowed to sit in each Dumbo.  There is a seat belt to help hold you in place, although they do require the adults to sit on the outside.

Once the ride begins, you find yourself going around in a circle.  But here’s the catch.  There is a lever in your Dumbo that allows you to control how high you fly.  Push up on the lever and your Dumbo will soar.  Press down, and you’ll head back to the ground.  If you leave it alone, you’ll find yourself staying at your current lever.  Before the ride ends, all the Dumbos rise to their peak before coming in for a landing.

The reason I pretty much gave up on this ride is that the line can be very long.  It does seem to be coming down, however.  It’s been in the 30 minute range when I’ve been there recently, including when I rode it with my niece on Labor Day itself.  The ride lasts roughly two minutes, so it’s not worth a very long wait.

But I’m glad I’ve been going back on it recently because it really is fun.  Even as an adult, I’ve been enjoying that feeling of flying.  You get a nice view of Fantasyland from the top.

And my niece absolutely loved it.  She was grinning from ear to ear the entire time we were on the ride.  She was a little short to really control Dumbo, so I got to help with that.  There is something purely magical about controlling your own flight – something we don’t get to do on a regular basis.  And sometimes it takes a little kid to really recapture that.  It sure happened for me.

Will I be making a point of riding Dumbo the Flying Elephant every time I’m in the park?  Probably not.  The lines are too long for that.  But I will certainly consider riding it more often.

Disneyland Review: Mickey's House and Meet Mickey

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Fun items in the house, friendly time with Mickey Mouse at the end

Cons: Long line to meet him

The Bottom Line: 

Many great details

And friendly time with Mickey

Highlight with young kids

Visiting Mickey at His House Can Still be Pure Magic

As much as I love all things Disney, I must admit that I don’t tend to hit everything at Disneyland.  Among the areas I tend to skip is Mickey’s Toontown.  Oh, I’ll head back there to go on Roger Rabbit, but I usually skip the rest.  This last year, I’ve taken a couple of trips through Mickey’s House, and I’ve found it does still have some magic to it.

Mickey’s House is located in the back left corner of Toontown right next to Minnie’s house.  Like the rest of the area, it looks like a cartoon inside and out.  And the fun starts outside with the Mickey Mouse head mailbox.  As you wander inside, you’ll see a doggie door with a Pluto shaped hole in it before you turn and go into the house.

The house itself is a self-guided tour and includes items that are props from his cartoons, like the old fashioned phone from “Through the Looking Glass.”  There are oversized chairs you can sit in and a bookshelf with punny mouse titles of famous works of literature.  Over the fireplace is a ship in a bottle, with the ship being Steamboat Willie.  (I so want one.)  He’s got a glassed in display case with pictures of Walt with an old Mickey Mouse doll and the original Mousketeers.  You can take these rooms at your own pace.  There isn’t too much to play around with, but there are things that kids and adults will both enjoy.

The real draw is around back.  After you’ve wandered through the house, you can go briefly “outside” through Mickey’s garden (where his plants are being eaten by some very hungry invisible gophers) to Mickey’s movie barn.  Mickey is back there filming, and he’s taking a break to visit with you on the set!

And this is where the line starts.  If you want to tour the house and not visit Mickey, you can take the alternative exit.  However, this is possibly the least chaotic way to visit with the famous mouse.  Of course there’s a line.  They have a waiting area that snakes around a couple of times, and in this room, you see previews for “upcoming” Mickey Mouse shorts like “The Band Concert,” “Sorcerer’s Apprentice,” or “Steamboat Willie.”  The projector is run by Donald and Goofy, which adds to the fun.  Unfortunately, the reel is too short, so you see it all two or three times while you are in there.

They take groups of a dozen or so at a time into the next room where Mickey and several handlers are waiting for you.  And from there, you get you turn talking to Mickey, getting his autograph, and getting your picture taken with him.  Yes, they have one of their photographers in the room, but they will use your camera to take your picture as well.

Okay, now I said at the start that I don’t visit Mickey’s House that often, and when I do, I usually bail before visiting Mickey himself.  I mean, wait in line for that?  I’m not a kid any more.  But twice in 2012, I’ve done just that.  The first time was with a group of friends who wanted to have our picture taken with him, and the other was with my 3-year-old niece.  Both times, we were given plenty of time with Mickey.  Granted, we didn’t try to take too long, but we weren’t rushed in our chance to say “hi” and pose for pictures.  I’m sure if we had been dawdling, we would have been politely hurried along, but I never witnessed the staff members there doing that.

Both times were more fun that I was expecting.  Even though Mickey doesn’t talk, his gestures and mannerisms are charming.  The other cast members in the room are also friendly and helpful, offering to take pictures with cameras before we even asked, for example.

The time with my niece was especially precious.  She ran to greet him, and he bent down and gave her a big hug and kiss.  It’s those kind of memories that make these things well worth doing.

So no, I won’t make Mickey’s House a must do on every trip to Disneyland.  However, if you haven’t had the pleasure of meeting Mickey Mouse before, I highly recommend you do.  It is fun no matter your age, but if you’ve got young kids, it will be a highlight of your trip.

Disneyland Review: Honey, I Shrunk the Audience

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Fun 3D show with good in theater effects

Cons: It isn't there any more

The Bottom Line: 

Become much smaller

In the shrinking audience

Fun experience

"You Think She'd be Used to this by Now."

True confessions time: I love the Disney movie Honey, I Shrunk the Kids.  There’s just something about it that really captivated me as an early teen, and I still enjoy watching it.  So you can imagine my delight when Disneyland finally got Honey, I Shrunk the Audience.  It replaced Captain EO in the late 90’s rehab of Tomorrowland, and it has been replaced now by…Captain EO.  Man, do I miss it.

The attraction featured the Szalinski family, or at least most of them.  Amy wasn’t around.  It must have been filmed not too long after the sequel movie, Honey, I Blew Up the Kid, since it features all the actors from that movie, including the same twins as toddler Adam.

The attraction itself was located just to the right of Space Mountain.  There was never a large crowd for this one – the longest I ever had to wait was the amount of time it took for the next show to start.

The premise is that the Imagination Institute has opened their doors for their annual Inventor of the Year Award, and this year the winner is Wayne Szalinski (Rick Moranis).  Naturally, his wife Diane (Marcia Strassman) and sons Nick (Robert Oliveri) and Adam (Daniel & Jonathan Shalikar) are there as well.  And, naturally, things don’t go as planned.  First, Adam puts his pet mouse in the multi-dimensional duplicator.  Then we, along with Nick, are accidentally shrunk.  Will we survive a snake and Adam moving us while Wayne fixes his machine?

Yes, this was one of Disney’s 3D plus shows.  Air jets in your seat let you feel the mice roaming through the audience.  I always got a kick out of hearing the screams start in one section and move throughout the theater.  And we get various things, like the snake, Diane’s arm, and Wayne on a personal hover craft, coming out at us.  When we are shrunk, the theater shakes at appropriate times.  Oh yeah, and at the end we get sprayed with a giant dog sneezing on us, I mean water.

No, this was never a must do for me, fan that I am of the characters.  But I always enjoyed it when I did, which was about half of my visits to the park.  The show lasted roughly 15 minutes, and it was great to take a break and enjoy sitting inside no matter what the weather was like outside.

Considering Captain EO doesn’t seem to be much more popular than this show was, maybe I can start a campaign to get them to bring it back.  Hey, don’t crush my tiny dreams.

Sadly, this will probably never come back.  Maybe on a Blu-Ray release for the movies?  But I will always have fond memories of Honey, I Shrunk the Audience.

Disneyland Review: Main Street Cinema

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Cool and uncrowded showing of six Mickey shorts

Cons: Not worth more than 10 minutes

The Bottom Line: 

Enjoy Mickey shorts

In this little theater

Fun for a short break

Take a Break from the Crowds and See Some of Mickey's Early Work

There are corners all over Disneyland that the average tourist never visits.  Truth be told, many of them aren’t necessarily the biggest or best locations in the park, but they are still fun.  One of those is the Main Street Cinema.  It’s a great place to stop for a few minutes when you need a bit of a break.

The cinema is located part way between the entrance plaza and the castle at the end of Main Street.  As you are walking to the heart of the park, it’s on your right hand side.  You can spot it because it has a mannequin sitting in a ticket booth in front of red curtains.  On the walls outside are posters for six of Mickey Mouse’s early black and white shorts.  No tickets are needed at this cinema.  Just push through the turn style and through the curtain to enter.

Once you get inside, you’ll find yourself in a circular room with six screens on the walls.  Each screen is showing a different black and white Mickey Mouse short.  By some weird coincidence, they are the same ones posted on the walls outside.  They are also showing in chronological order going from your right as you first walk in to the left side by the exit.  At least when I was there in October, the six shorts showing were: “Plane Crazy,” “Steamboat Willie,” “The Moose Hunt,” "Traffic Troubles,” "The Dognapper,” and “Mickey’s Polo Team.”  And in case you are wondering, yes, I did list these in correct order.  “Plane Crazy” was released second but finished first.

The room is not big.  I would guess it would feel crowded at 50 people, but I’ve never seen more than a couple dozen in there, which feels quite comfortable.  There is a round platform in the middle for kids to stand on while adults are welcome to use the outer circle for their viewing pleasure.

There is no show, there are no starting times.  Each of these shorts plays continuously all day.  They are staggered, so you can try to watch all six of them at once, which would take you roughly 7 minutes, or you can watch them one at a time which would be about 45 minutes.

Unfortunately, the cinema has some fundamental flaws.  The first is no where to sit.  If you do want to watch anything, you have to stand up to do so.  That might be on purpose because it certainly cuts down on the number of people who spend very long in there.

As I mentioned earlier, the shorts have staggered start and end times.  This means you can not watch one and move on to the next and start at the beginning.  No matter how you time things, the next one you try to watch will be in the middle when you try to move forward.

They have the sound turned down on five of the shorts and a general silent movie theater soundtrack going in the background.  The exception is “Steamboat Willie.”  Unfortunately, these two soundtracks compete with each other.  They really should have one or the other going.

On the plus side, the cinema is always air conditioned.

If you miss the Main Street Cinema, it’s not a big deal.  I usually only stop in once every two or three years.  But if you have the time, it’s fun to stop in for a few minutes and enjoy some classic Mickey Mouse.

Disneyland Review: Captain EO Tribute

Stars: 1 out of 5

Pros: You can sit indoors for 17 minutes.

Cons: The show isn't really worth the comfort.

The Bottom Line: 

Only nostalgia

Is reason to revisit

Pure eighties flashback

Flashdance Back to the 80's with Michael Jackson

Captain EO was the first of Disney’s 3D attractions back when the technology was popular in the 80’s.  Since I was never a Michael Jackson fan, I never bothered visiting until they brought it back as Captain EO Tribute after Michael’s death a couple years ago.  I was curious enough to go see it, but I’m not really a fan.

This show is located in a theater in Tomorrowland.  If you are facing the entrance to Space Mountain, it’s on your right.  There’s usually never a wait, the only thing keeping you from getting in is the show ahead of you.

Basically, this is a 17 minute movie/music video that is in 3D and features some effects in the theater.  The story revolves around Captain EO (Michael Jackson) and his group of cohorts (a variety of puppets) who are on a mission of peace.  They land on a planet, where they are immediately taken prisoner and taken to the Supreme Leader (Anjelica Huston), a nasty looking woman who is more machine than human.  She sentences them all to harsh penalties, but Captain EO says first they come with a gift.  As he begins to sing “We are here to change the world,” the various soldiers and goons of the Supreme Leader get transformed into back up dancers, meaning they are now on Captain EO’s side.  But will this gift be enough to transform even the Supreme Leader?

Every single second of this show screams 80’s at the top of its lungs.  There are the effects, which was okay for the 80’s but pale by today’s standards.  There are the puppet characters.  There are the hairstyles and costumes.  And let’s not leave out the very 80’s music and dancing.  If you are feeling some 80’s nostalgia, you’ll love this show.  Otherwise, you’ll hate it.

The 3D effects look pretty good.  It’s not like the shows they do today where there is something coming out at you.  Still, they add some dimension to the show.

At one point, we get a blast with air and a few lights flash in the theater.  Other than that, the only real effect is the seats in the theater bouncing.  They shake when the ship crash lands, and they bounce again when the music starts in time to the beat.  It’s kind of fun, but quickly grows tiring.

I have some friends who are thrilled they brought this back.  They loved it originally and love it again now.  I, on the other hand, loved the replacement show they took out to bring this one back, so I was already biased against it.

The funny thing about nostalgia is, it really only works for stuff you already loved.  Since I am not a Michael Jackson fan nor saw this show as a kid, all I can see are the bad effects and cheesy costumes and dated elements.  If I were a fan, I’m sure it would make me smile and be all gooey inside.

I recently gave this another chance with a theater that was three quarters full.  There was some cheering the first time we saw Michael, which quickly turned to laughs or giggles when he spoke in his high pitched voice.  From there, the only noise I heard were laughs at some of the more dated elements.  The cheering was gone by the time the movie was over.

As an unrelated note, I can't help but think of the Borg from Star Trek as I watch this movie.  Yes, it predated the reboot of that franchise, but the Supreme Leader and her goons share much with those famous villains.

On the plus side, this is in a theater inside.  That means you are sitting down in air conditioning if the day is hot.

But really, that’s about the only reason I would recommend Captain EO Tribute.  The few moments of entertainment aren’t worth the time you’ll spend in the 80’s.

Disneyland Review: Mater's Junkyard Jamboree

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Surprisingly fun whipping action, great themeing

Cons: Seems short when your are riding it

The Bottom Line: 

It spins and whips you

Which proves to be very fun

So visit Mater

Join Mater for a Whip Roaring Good Time

In the new CarsLand at Disney’s California Adventure, there is already a hierarchy of rides.  The one ride that everyone seems to walk right past is Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree.  Okay, I’ll grant you it doesn’t look like much, but it is surprisingly fun.

The ride is located at the main entrance to the land.  If you are walking from the main park entrance past Bug’s Land and CarsLand toward Paradise Pier, you really can’t miss it.

The ride itself is a spinner/tilt-a-whirl type ride.  But, of course, it’s done with fantastic Disney touches.

To enter the line, you walk under a sign that is reminiscent of the sign over Mater’s junkyard in the movie Cars.  And while you wait in line, you can see the opening cards from many of the Mater’s Tall Tales along one wall.  The line itself seems to fluctuate between 10 and 20 minutes.  Not bad at all for what you get.

When it is time to board the ride, you select a trailer to sit in behind a small, baby tractor.  Two adults can sit quite comfortably in the trailer, and if you’ve got a kid with you, there is room for them as well.  You buckle up using a seat belt and away you go.

The tractors are on four spinning discs, and as the music starts, the tractors start going, switching circles every time you come to one.  And every time you switch circles or you go around the curve of the circle, the trailer whips around from one side to the other.  Even watching this ride doesn’t prepare you for just how much whip you get.  I wasn’t expecting much the first time I got on it, and I was very pleasantly surprised by how much fun it was.  Every time I’ve gone on it since, I’ve enjoyed it just as much.

In keeping with the theme, Disney hired Larry the Cableguy to voice Mater for this ride.  He sings one of seven different songs while you enjoy the ride.  And listen to the instructions he gives before and after the ride as well since they are often a hoot.

My one complaint about the ride is how short it is.  I haven't timed it, but it feels like you're just getting going when it is over already.  Another 30 seconds would be just about right.  Of course, that would make the line that much longer, so I’m only complaining about the length of time when I’m actually riding.  When I'm in line, the length of the ride seems about right.

There are a total of 22 tractors on two separate sides of the ride.  Both sides go at the same time and enjoy the same song while whipping around their circles.

There is a height requirement of 32 inches to enjoy this ride.  It is handicap accessible, but you have to transfer to the trailer.  They have no other restrictions on it.

Yes, Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree could be longer, but I still get a kick out of it.  It’s a great thing to do in CarsLand since the line never seems to get too long.  Really, you should swing on by and visit Mater.

Website Review: AA.com

Stars: 4 out of 5

The Place to Search for American Airlines Flights

Until recently, I was making regular flights to Dallas to visit family.  Since Dallasis a major hub for American Airlines, I quickly realized they were the airline to use.  And the best place to book those flights?  Their website - aa.com.

When you first venture to their website, you're greeted with a fairly standard travel website interface.  While there are some ads on the pages, the main feature is the search box you can use to find your perfect itinerary.  While they do allow you to search for more than just their flights, that's what I've always used the site for.  You can enter the airport code direct or look up the cities they fly to, enter the dates of your trip, hit search, and away you go.

American guarantees the results you get will be the lowest available on line for their flights, and I've always found that to be the case.  Frankly, that's one reason I have gone directly to their site instead of searching elsewhere.  Plus, they never charge a booking fee.  There are still taxes, of course, but that's the only thing added on to your flights.

Depending on where you are going, you can get pages of results.  It's not always clear what the default option is, but they do always tell you what the cheapest price on that page of results is up on the top.  They clearly list what airport you are leaving from and arriving at, plus any stops you make along the way, so you know exactly what you are getting before you sign up.

Choosing your flight is a multi-step process.  First, you chose your departing flight.  Then they take you to the return flights.  And if timing isn't a factor, they let you browse a week around your selected dates to find the best price to fit your budget.

Found what you are looking for?  Now comes my only real complaint with the site.  To log in to actually buy your flight, you have to know your AA Advantage number (aka your American Airlines frequent flyer number).  This was always a pain for me since I lost my card years ago and can never remember what my number is.  I'd have to search through old e-mails or ask that it be sent to me again.  I wish I could create a log in and they would store the number behind it.

That aside, the rest of the process if very simple and straight forward.  You'll need to enter the information for the traveler(s) (they do store this info for you, so just make sure it is correct if you are returning), confirm the flights, chose your seat if you so desire, and pay with a credit card.  This part is always easy and takes just a few minutes despite being several different screens.

Once I bought my tickets, I'd be sent an e-mail with the itinerary and the confirmation number.  I would print this out and take it with me on my flight to use to check in.  I never had a problem when I showed up at the airport.

Of course, there is a section on their website to check in before you get to the airport, but I never used that.

And you can check on the status of a flight from their web page.  All you need is the flight number, and they'll tell you whether it has departed, arrived, is on time, delayed, whatever it is you need to know.

On your phone or other mobile device?  You can access a modified version of the site there.  While I haven't tried to book flights, the page for checking on the status of a flight is very easy to use in this mode as well.

All told, I always found American Airlines' website to be easy to use and helpful when trying to book a flight.  If you know you are going to fly American, I suggest heading straight to aa.com.

Disneyland Review: Radiator Springs Racers

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: A fun visit with favorite characters before fun race.

Cons: Screens on windshield could be more see through.

The Bottom Line: 

Blast from start to end

Characters plus thrilling race

On your mark, get set....

Race with Lightning McQueen, Mater, and All Your Radiator Springs Friends

For the last couple of years, "Pardon Our Pixie Dust" signs have been everywhere around California Adventure.  Finally, a year ago, the signs came down, and the public got to see the results.  One of the biggest changes is the new Cars Land, and the crown jewel of this area is Radiator Springs Racers.

When you step into Cars Land, you are taken to the town of Radiator Springs from the Disney-Pixar movie Cars.  It's a wonderful recreation.  At the end of the street are the rock formations from outside of town, and back in there is where you will find this new ride.

The lines are long, and I expect them to stay that way for quite a while.  To help with that, they offer both FastPass (come back during a pre-set window for a much shorter line) and Single Rider.  With how the cars are set up, the Single Rider lines moves pretty quickly, but don't expect to ride with your friends.  While you are winding through line, you can get a feel for the history of this small town as you wander through some of the original buildings and read a historical marker.  Yes, the detail starts that early.

Once you get to the front of the line, you are put in cars that seat six, three in each row.  (Told you there's a reason the single ride line moves quickly.  That odd number means at least one single rider usually goes per car.)  You buckle in with shoulder restraints if you are on the outside and just a lap restraint if you are in the middle.  And then you are off.

You actually start off with a leisurely drive through some of the landscape you have been admiring.  And let me tell you, it looks like you are driving through rock formations.  The detail on this ride is absolutely stunning.  You are taking the journey that Lightning McQueen and Sally took part way through Cars, and they even play the soundtrack from the movie to start you off.

Then you go inside a tunnel and find yourself running into characters from the film - almost literally.  Everyone from Radiator Springs has at least a cameo and a line.  Turns out you've come to Radiator Springs for a race.  Before you do, you go tractor tipping with Mater.  Then, as the single track splits into two, you either get a fancy new paint job or new tires.  At this point, you've lined up with another guest car, and Luigi sends you off on a race.

This part of the ride takes you through a couple of steeply banked turns and some hills.  It's neck and neck until the end, when one car wins and the other loses.  It's random who wins and loses, I'm at 50% myself.

All told, the ride takes just under four and a half minutes, and it's left me with a smile on my face every time I've done it.  The fastest you really get is around 40 miles per hour, but if you get caught up in the spirit of the ride, it feels like more.

Honestly, this is a variation of Test Track in Florida.  The difference is, this one has much better, more exciting, more interesting, and more magical themeing.  There, the theme is of a test track, and its okay.  Here, the rich detail around you and the use of the characters from Cars makes it so much more fun.  Unfortunately, this also means the ride will probably be plagued with the same down time that the ride in Florida does, but only time will tell for sure on that one.

The biggest flaw in this ride is the ride vehicles themselves.  They are designed to look like they fit into the world of Cars, right down to the eyes on the windshields.  That screen can block your view of some of the things you pass on the ride, especially if you are in the middle seat.  On the sides, it is fairly easy to see around.  I'm not sure how they fix that, although I consider it a minor issue since you can still see much of what is happening around you.

You need to be 40 inches tall to ride the ride.  It is accessible for the disabled, although you do have to transfer into the ride car to ride.

The first time I rode this, I turned to my friend and stated that California Adventure has a huge hit on their hands.  Every time since, my opinion hasn't changed in the slightest.  And yes, I went on it four times in the first week it was open.  Radiator Springs Racers is that much fun.

Travel Review: American Airlines

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Good prices and service on the flights

Cons: Cramped seats (just like every where)

The Bottom Line:
Competitive price

And convenient schedules

Pleasant flights as well

Convenient and Almost Always Pleasant

Until a few months ago, my brother and his family lived in Dallas.  That meant flying to see them, especially after my niece was born.  And the carrier I almost always chose was American Airlines.

Frankly, the fact that I would go with them was more a matter of monopoly than anything else. Dallas is one of their hubs (if not their biggest hub).  Other carriers fly in and out, and I could have gone with any of them if my flight experience was truly bad on American.  However, I always had my choice of times flying through LAX, and only once did I have a connecting flight on the trip.  So really, I had no reason to look elsewhere.

Not that I didn't look.  I always went to the travel websites and compared prices.  American was always comparable or slightly better price wise.  Being a price first flyer, that was always a selling point.  And since I was flying from a major airport to a hub, I could get a direct flight for virtually the same price as a transfer would cost me.  If it cost more, it was rarely worth the time and hassle to change flights.  The prices on their web site were always the cheapest prices I would find by looking elsewhere, so I bought the tickets directly from them, and I never had a problem with that.

During the gas price inflation of a few years back, they started charging for all checked luggage on domestic flights.  It's currently $25 for the first bag and $35 for the second per person.  If your flight is international, there is no fee.

Like many airlines, American offers internet check in an hour before your flight.  (Now tell me, what is the point of "checking in" when you aren't really at the airport to check in?  It makes no freaking sense to me!)  As you might guess by the mini-rant, I never used it.  I usually wound up checking a bag plus I have no printer at home.

However, check in at the airport was usually a breeze.  They had plenty of self-check in kiosks at both any airport I flew out of.  I'd enter my itinerary code for my flight and all the info would come up.  I'd have a chance to change seats, but I always stuck with the one I chose when buying my tickets.  From there, I would go to the counter to check my bag.  There were always several people working behind the counter, so I never waited more than 10 minutes for this, although it was usually more like 5.

The exception to the above was the two times I tried to leave LAX in August.  I don't know why, but the lines were always forever to even get to the self-check in kiosk.  And then it took a while to check my bag, too.  It was chaos with no clear line.  The second summer, one employee told me, "It's always like this during the summer because so many people travel."  So why don't you plan for it better with better lines and more employees?  Honestly, I'm not quite sure I bought that, however, since I always flew on the day before Thanksgiving and never had the long lines in did in August.

Anyway, the flights themselves are usually fine.  A few times, I would have something delayed based on weather.  I don't remember ever having trouble with a plane's mechanical difficulties.  But most of the time, my flights were on time.  The flight attendants were always friend and helpful.  Like most domestic flights, they offer a complementary beverage, but all snacks and meals cost extra for those who fly coach.  I never bothered with what I'm sure were over priced items, instead buying something over priced at the airport or eating before or after.  If there was any in flight entertainment, they would sell you headphones for $2, although you could also use any headphones you had with you, like for your iPod, for free.

The seats are close together, so you are fairly crowded, but that's about like always, frankly, on any airline.  I have a large backpack I would use as a carry on, and it took up most of the leg room in the seat in front of me, although I could work my feet in there as they need to move a little.  The seats are just comfortable enough to get me to doze off but not comfortable enough to truly sleep for any length of time.  But I would get plenty read as the flight wore on.

I only once had an issue with my bag.  It took an hour to get it from the plane to the carousel.  Half the flight had their bags in the normal 15 to 20 minutes or less, and the other half of us were waiting.  The employee was apologetic but not really helpful in finding out what was happening.  But the rest of my flights my bag arrived quickly with no issues at all.

As I said, most of my flights with American over the last few years have just been between LAX and Dallas.  However, I did fly them on return trips from Orlando and Ohio.  Everything I said applied to those trips from those airports as well.

Over the years, American Airlines never gave me a reason to look elsewhere for better service.  The prices were good, the flight time convenient, and I couldn't really complain about the service.  I'll certainly consider them when I fly again.

Disneyland Review: it's tough to be a bug

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Some fun 3D and good message...

Cons: ...ruined by a scary middle section

The Bottom Line: 

Potential goodness

Made scary for young, phobic

So not a must do

Potentially Good Environmental Message Ruined by Scary Presentation

I’m a sucker for most of the 3D movies Disney has in their parks.  But I have never warmed to it’s tough to be a bug.  I just tried it again this weekend, and it still isn’t my idea of fun.

This show was imported from Disney World and is located in California Adventure on the main path from the entrance to Paradise Pier on the border of a bug’s land.  The line takes you down to a theater that has walls and a ceiling molded to look like you’re in an underground dirt cave.  It’s pretty cool.  There’s never a line for this one when I’m there.

The show features Flik and Hopper from a bug’s life, but aside from a few cameos those are the only characters from the movie to appear.

Flik starts out the nine minute show by welcoming us and making us honorary bugs so we can learn how amazing they really are.  We put on our “bug eyes” (the 3D glasses) and things get underway.  We’re treated to a great effect as the curtain turns into butterflies that fly away and we meet a tarantula that shoots at acorns (over the audience) and a soldier termite who mistakes us for intruders and spits “acid” (water) at us.  We are even “treated” to the spray of a stink bug.  Last time, this wasn’t that strong a smell, but I remember thinking it was pretty bad in the past.

But here’s where things turn dark, literally and figuratively.  Hopper appears and is furious with Flik for having the humans there.  We are enemies.  As evidence, he presents a montage of the creature features made with insects.  Then he has video of humans killing insects.  He turns the tables on us and sprays us with insecticide (another foul smelling gas), then has hornets sting us (the seats poke us in the back) before black widow spiders drop from the ceiling to try to grab us.  All of this happens in a theater that has gone dark with occasional flashing lights.  It’s downright scary.

Finally, a chameleon comes out that chases Hopper away, leaving Flik to role the final number which sings the praises of bugs.  There’s good info here, but it comes so fast it’s hard to catch it all.

I’m not at all opposed to the message of the show.  Insects do a great many things we need in our world, and we shouldn’t needlessly torture or kill them.  Much of the beginning and ending is a fun use of 3D and the special effects theater.  However, the part with Hopper is way too intense.  You know nothing will happen to you, but it’s still scary, especially for young kids or those with insect phobias.

So I recommend you only see it’s tough to be a bug if you are looking to kill a little time and aren’t easily frightened.  It’s certainly not worth a long wait to see.

Disneyland Review: Peter Pan's Flight

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Feels like flying with amazing lights and details

Cons: Long line for a short ride

The Bottom Line: 

Fly to Neverland

After a very long wait

Short but so worth it

"Come on , Everybody, Here We Goooooo!"

I have always loved the story of Peter Pan, so it's no real surprise that my favorite of the rides in Fantasyland is Peter Pan's Flight.  However, it seems to be a popular ride with many people, and with good reason.

Peter Pan's Flight is located next to the castle in the heart of Fantasyland.  It's on the right hand side if you come in through the castle from Main Street.  Just look for the long line; you can't miss it.

And that's the biggest downside to this ride - it always has a long line.  I very rarely see this attraction with less than a half an hour wait.  The line snakes around outside, and is one of the least interesting lines in the park, too.  As you get closer, you will hear instrumental music from the movie and get to enjoy a giant mural on the wall.  Those with disabilities can use the exit to get on the attraction, although they will need to get in the pirate galleon.

Once you reach the front of the line, you'll board your very own pirate galleon.  These ships are big enough to accommodate two or three people per ship, although three can get very crowded if they are three adults.

And as you leave the loading area, you take off in flight.  That's the magic of this ride.  You are suspended from a track in the ceiling and fly through or over the scenes.

You start out in the Darling nursery as Peter encourages the kids to take flight.  Then it's out the window and over the rooftops until you reach London.  You fly over the city at night, and you see lights of the city below you.  If you look carefully, you can even see the cars on the streets.  From there, you fly over Neverland at night with stars around you in the sky.

From there, you're almost done, unfortunately.  You fly over a pirate ship as Peter Pan and Captain Hook fight, then swoop in as Tinkerbell lights up the ship to help send you home.  Finally, you fly over the mermaids and see Smee try to rescue Hook from the crocodile.  And just like that it's time to exit.

While this isn't the shortest of the dark rides in Fantasyland, it feels like it.  That's because most of the time is spent flying over the city and Neverland without really seeing any characters or scenes from the movie.  Once you do see some, you are pretty much done.

However, I really don't mind.  The effect of flying is so cool, and the detail of the scenes you fly over is amazing.  While I usually try to time this so I don't have a super long wait, it's still absolutely worth it for me.

As an aside, this ride was one of the original attractions when the park opened in 1955.  I can remember standing in line and hearing Peter Pan saying, "Come on, everybody, here we goooooo!" over and over again as a kid.  When they remodeled Fantasyland in the 1980's, they updated this ride and gave him a few phrases to say, so it's not as annoying when you are in line.

Walt Disney World Review: Carousel of Progress

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Good history of inventions; fun final scene

Cons: More history than entertainment, so a little dry

The Bottom Line:
A trip back in time

For invention history

Okay with some fun

It's a Great Big Beautiful History Lesson

As long as I can remember, I’ve heard about Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress, an attraction he originally created for the 1964 World’s Fair and then moved to Disneyland before it moved to its current home in Walt Disney World.  When I finally made it to the Florida theme park several years back, I was thrilled to finally experience this attraction.  It didn’t quite live up to my expectations, but I think much of that was me.

The attraction is located in the back corner of Tomorrowland in the Magic Kingdom across from Space Mountain and across from Buzz Light Year’s Space Ranger Spin.  Just look for the big round building.  There are rarely any crowds for this one, and it only officially operates during peak season, but from what I’ve heard, it is open most days.

The “carousel” is really a show in the circular theater.  The audience sits in seats and then rotates around the center, which consists of four stages plus the area for loading and unloading.

Each stage is a scene, and as we move forward, we move through the seasons and time.  What do I mean?  Well, the first stop in early 1900’s on Valentine’s Day.  Then we move to a 4thof July during the 1920’s.  The third stop is Halloween in the 40’s before we hit Christmas day in roughly modern times.

At each stop, we observe an average family as they enjoy and discuss the benefits of modern technology.  In many ways it is a history lesson as we see everything from gas lamps and hand-cranked washing machine at the first top to radio and a sewing machine in the 20’s and an automatic dishwasher and television in the 40’s.

The family consists of audio-animatronics figures who age slightly as the years progress, but basically stay the same.  Most of the talking is done by the father, and a few appear on stage briefly to show something or other and interact with him.  Hair and clothing styles are changed to reflect the times, but it’s easy to recognize everyone.

The exception to the pattern is the final scene which depicts the family enjoying each other’s company on Christmas day.  We actually have most of the family on stage at the same time as they enjoy a flat screen TV, a virtual reality video game, and see the downside of a voice recognition oven.  This is actually the best scene because it introduces some great humor at the family interacting with the technology.

As we transition from each scene, we hear the song “There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow.”  It’s catchy, and you’ll probably find yourself humming it as you leave.

While I know some people who love this attraction, I wasn’t drawn to it right away.  Three of the four scenes are actually rather dry history lessons.  It’s only when we get to the final scene that it starts to be fun.  Frankly, because of all the history, it feels like a better fit on Main Street than Tomorrowland.

I think part of the problem is the time gaps.  When the attraction first opened in the 1960’s, the four stages were the 00’s, 20’s, 40’s and 60’s.  They’ve updated the final scene several times over the years to keep it up to date, however, that’s meant we travel over 100 years in 25 or so minutes.  Honestly, I think it would be better to update the entire thing.  Maybe the 1900’s, 1940’s, 1980’s, and today.  It would still show the progression of history and how much things have changed, but it wouldn’t feel quite so dated.  Of course, those who love the attraction as is would probably hate the changes.  I know I hate it when they change something I love too much.

I did go on this ride twice while I was there, and I enjoyed it more the second time, probably because I knew a bit more what to expect.  Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress is still only an okay attraction – good for its history but not a must do.