Slow Shoe Shuffle

Day Two of the Disneyland / California Adventure park hopping experience.

You will be proud of us today we actually arrived at the park early to get there on 9 am opening.  However, we were greeted with thousands of other folks with the same idea.  Bag checks, waiting, waiting, and all those prams … hundreds of prams.

We finally make our way through the gates and walk briskly towards Cars Land to get our fast passes and perhaps a not so long wait for Radiator Springs Racers.  Alas we came to an abrupt holt with a throng of surging people and park attendants telling us there was filming in progress … how rude, then we find out that it was probably Chanel 7’s Morning Show with Larry Emdur and co. who might have been the cause … more rude!

Off to Starbucks for my new favourite Caramel Machiatto (and yes of course I want it hot) whilst we wait for the park to properly open.

Caramel Machiatto

Now we are off and running or shuffling as my feet and ankles are still sore from the past two days of constant walking.

Radiator Springs Racers, Rooting Tooting Shooting Gallery (I beat Raels on this one), Pirates of the Caribbean, Big Thunder Mountain Railway all accomplished.  Mind you there were so many rides closed for repair or refurbishment that it was disappointing.

So I’ve been to Disneyland twice now and Raelene has been four times and we don’t think we would go again as we struggle with the crowds and the waiting times. That doesn’t seem to deter the Americans as you can see them with their lanyards with a pin for each year that they come to Disneyland, they seem to be obsessed with their pins, lanyards, hats and matching t-shirts.

Butte Gas Anyone?

Another Great Day At Disneyland

Where’s Harry?

Harry Potter World

This OWL Needs To Send Some Mail

Universal Language … Fun!

They say the early bird gets the worm and ignoring all well meaning advice on how important it is to arrive early to any theme park we arrived at Universal Studios at midday.  But traveling across time zones, sleeping in new places, shaking off jet lag and the thought of fighting morning peak-hour traffic, had these old birds taking it easy today.  We took a slight detour via Walmart to get the all important Tom Tom for all our LA driving pleasure and of course some traveller’s essentials.

Universal Studios

We decided to pay $30 for parking instead of the $20 option.  It was the best $10 spent all day as my feet, ankles, knees and hips thanked me for not having to endure the ridiculously long walk back to that distant cheapskate carpark.

We had a great day, Universal Studios is amazing it has something for everyone.  Thrilling rides for the adventurous, and a chance to see where movies and TV shows are made.

We Are Ready For An Ice Cold Duff!

We Had A Krusty Burger For Lunch

Two Lisa’s and a Bart

The best part of my day and a MUST do is the Universal Studios Lot Tour?  You will notice so many recognisable behind-the-scenes TV and movie sets and buildings like:

• The plane crash from War of the Worlds,
• Wisteria Lane from Desperate Housewives,
• Bates Motel from Psycho, and
• good old Jaws pops up to say hi

It’s an hour long tour and perfect way to sit down and be entertained after walking around so much and probably my favourite part of the day.

Universal Studios Lot Tour

Universal Studios Lot Tour

Universal Studios Lot Tour

Make sure you have comfortable shoes because you’ll need them, my Sketchers best purchase ever!

A Familiar Scene From Jaws

War Of The Worlds Plane Crash Scene

United States of Whatever

The Crimson Koala is off on another adventure, this time with travel companion, Raelene.

Sunday 7th May we embarked on our 18 day USA California / Nevada road trip and adventure.  Leaving Melbourne at 12:30 pm we take of on our Air New Zealand flight bound for Los Angeles via Auckland.  First time flying Air New Zealand and I can’t recommend them highly enough. Ground crew – extremely helpful. Onboard crew – really pleasant and professional.  We decided to try the “sky couch” … Three seats, two fat ladies (that’s us) four new release movies, one screaming child and approx five hours sleep.  The extra room was great but not sure I would go this option next time, I think I would save some more coin for Premium Economy.

Auckland’s short stop had Raels and I enjoying the local brew Speights in a packed airport bar with travellers passing through. Hello and goodbye New Zealand.

Flight NZ6 flew us to our final destination … LAX (Los Angeles). We made it through customs relatively unscathed:  e-passport scan (facial and finger printing); customs check (facial scan and finger printing for Raelene only), baggage pickup, and final airport check before they let us through the final door … California we are here!

Melbourne Airport

Auckland Airport … Speights Refreshment

We pickup a hire car and Anaheim beckons with a shower and some much need sleep.

Humdrum Hollywood

I am disillusioned and disappointed with Los Angeles and Hollywood, it’s all a smoke screen, nothing is as you are lead to believe.

As we have limited time we set off on an organised tour of Los Angeles to get a taste and feel of this city.  Our bus driver was knowledgeable and entertaining and took us to all the famous places that we’ve read about.

We drove past the Civic Centre, the Walt Disney Concert Hall, Chinatown and Little Tokyo before stopping at Olvera Street which apparently was the birthplace of Los Angeles which was founded in 1781.

Olvera Street – Los Angeles

We then drive down the Hollywood Walk of Fame where apparently there are more than 2,000 sidewalk stars and here’s the kicker you don’t necessarily need to be exceptionally famous to get a star … $5,000 should secure you one if you pay.

We stop at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre only to be mobbed by spruikers, costumed freaks and just generally people hassling you.  I thought Bali was bad!  At this point we push through the mob, enter a shopping centre with a good vantage point and take photo of the Hollywood sign … this is as close as we are going to get.

Hollywood Sign Through The Smog

We then head to the legendary Los Angeles Farmers Market, I couldn’t quite see what all the fuss was about, it looked like your typical shopping centre.  We did however stop here for lunch so mum and I enjoyed a BBQ Style lunch and washed it down with home local beverages.

Icy Cold Local Beer

Returning to the bus we drove past Sunset Strip (the playground of the stars), Melrose Avenue (the boutiques frequented by the A-listers) and Beverley Hills where the rich and famous live.

Beverley Hills Tourist Bus

We briefly stop and walk down Rodeo Drive where it is too expensive to even breath the air.  One shop owner had his car parked in front of his boutique and to our surprise his car (Bugatti Veyron) as worth $2.3M, is that not pure over indulgence?

Rodeo Drive – Beverley Hills

Stores Just Off Rodeo Drive

After scampering back on the bus for fear of being arrested for vagrancy, we head to Venice Beach to see the eclectic mix of people living, working, busking and visiting.  It is seedy, dirty and it didn’t feel safe at all and not a place I would hang out in at night … hand me the hand sanitiser please!

Venice Beach – Los Angeles

One final stop in our journey today, the Marina del Rey (no relation to Lana) to see the largest manmade small-boat harbour in the world. It was nice but not impressive.

I feel as if I’ve missed something, am I being too critical of Los Angeles but my first impression is “honey I won’t be back”!

California Screaming and Dreaming

They say that the early bird gets the worm, in our case this morning the early bird got the “Radiator Springs” Fast Pass.

We headed to California Adventure this morning (Disneyland’s sister theme park), for some screams and dreams.

California Adventure Time!

Just Like The Trams At Home Only Prettier

We were advised to get a “Fast Pass” to the Radiator Springs ride so we head off as soon as we get thorough the gates, a little after 8am and to our surprise the line for the said fast pass was about 300 metres long.  We wait like good tourists and get our fast pass … to come back at 11:30.  This ride had better be worth it!

First stop the “Tower of Terror”, a 13 story drop in an old elevator. It got my heart pumping and my lungs a workout and I apologise to the poor lady in front of me that endured the high pitched screaming in her ear but I had to admit this was fun.

The Tower of My Terror

California Adventure is huge and trying to get around everything was going to be difficult especially with long queues and my ever suffering feet at the moment but we give it a good crack.

Buena Vista Drive

Next stop “California Screaming” a massive, I say again massive roller coaster, I loved this ride and since we have a 3-Day Park Hopper, this is on my return list.  Again with the screaming, but screams of thrills, did I mention I loved this ride!

California Screaming and Big Wheel

I needed a little sugar fix after the coaster, feeling a light headed we had a snack to recharge the batteries … more queues just to get a Fanta a muffin but this was only 9:30am.

Noeleen Earlier In The Day

We wandered around this huge park, enjoyed the impromptu street performers, popped into see the Little Mermaid with all the other kiddies then it was time to head to Cars Land or also known as Radiator Springs.

Ready For A Tune Up

This part of the park is exceptionally well done, it will have you transported to the Cars movie, the sights the sounds and feel of the place is amazing, you can even drop into see Lightning McQueen for a bit of a chat.

Lightning McQueen Giving Me Cheek

Finally it’s 11:30 … We present our Fast Pass and at this stage the wait for the Radiator Springs ride is 75 minutes, the crowd meanders back down the street, however, it astounds me that everyone is waiting patiently.

We however, have the golden ticket, we bypass hundreds and hundreds of others waiting in the normal queue.  Feeling pretty pleased with ourselves we are about to board the ride.  We were not disappointed, the Radiator Springs ride twists and turns through robotic replicas from the movie and then finally you get to the best bit.  You pull along side another “car” like yourself and revving sounds emanate from both … it’s a drag race!  Both cars take off at break neck speed through the canyon, around bends, over hills to a finish line … my inner bogan has been satisfied.

Radiator Springs Racers

Other highlights of the day, Aladdin – Musical Spectacular.  This was my surprise packet of the day, I was expecting a lame sing-a-long but it was one of the most humorous, well-done stage shows I’ve ever seen at any of these parks.  The show focused on Genie, who was a non-stop source of laughs and entertainment.

As we have a three day pass we can come and go as we please, so a walk back to the hotel room for some respite before hitting the park was required as my feet (still recovering from the AVON) walk demand it.

Prediction for tonight sleeping pattern … Snoring by 10pm!

California Here We Come

It’s farewell to one of the most exciting cities in the world, New York, today.  We loved you New York thanks for the fun times and experiences.

After an early start, a light breakfast, a bagel with cream cheese and coffee we are picked up in our personal car to take us to JFK Airport for a 10:30am flight to Los Angeles.

JFK Airport – New York

We were dropped off at Terminal 8.  Mum asked an airport worker where United Airlines was and discovered we had been dropped off at the wrong terminal.  Luckily we had plenty of time so we caught the Airtrain to Terminal 7.  Whilst it wasn’t a difficult task to work out where we needed to go it took about twenty minutes to get there.  Fantastic … it’s Terminal 7.

JFK Airport Airtrain – New York

So I asked Mum what Flight number we are on and she looked at her e-ticket then a panicked pale look came over her … she said “Oh shit, it’s American Airlines Flight 19” … American Airlines was in Terminal 8.

At this stage she was in a state of major stress, “we are going to miss our flight”, “why didn’t we check the tickets”, “I’m feeling really stressed now”.

“Calm The Farm Noeleen” … We still had 90 minutes to catch our flight so back on the  Airtrain to the next stop at Terminal 8, check in bags and back through the nightmare that is security at American airports.  Take off your shoes, belts, empty everything out of your bags, pockets, put it in a tray and line up like sheep.  What the he’ll are the X-rays for if they can see everything in your bag because it’s spewed across three plastic trays.

Travel time five and a half hours, across another time zone and we arrive at LAX, Los Angeles Airport.  We collect our bags and head to the coach area to find our transportation to Anaheim which will be our home for the next week.

We board our little bus and speed through the freeways of Los Angeles, it has a great system of commuter lanes which enables us to pass all the traffic on the freeways.  We twist, we turn, we changes lanes and freeways.  Our journey to Anaheim takes about 45 minutes and we check in at the Park View Inn.

Park View Inn – Anaheim

Downtown Anaheim

I was very excited to see our neighbour across the road is Disneyland … see you tomorrow Mickey!

As we haven’t eaten we pop over to the IHOP, a American food chain that I’ve seen in many a movie.  We get shown to a booth, our orders were taken and I enjoy a Philly Cheesesteak and fries, Mum orders a Pot Roast Beef with caramelized onion melt with fries.  Not particularly good for the diet but it was soooo good.

Early night tonight as I want to be rested for my first ever Disney experience!