|
The place of Adventure, Travel to East Africa: Djibouti,
India, Madagascar, Zanzibar, Kenya, Jordan, Egypt, Cyprus and Disneyland.
Now adding Hong Kong, China, Korea, Japan and Disneyland. Mexico and
Disneyland.
Disaster, Earthquake and Emergency Preparedness and Services for San Francisco.
We also like Disneyland. |
|
|
I'm trying something new. To improve readability, I'm going to add the day's adventures to the END of the diary, so the reader can start from the beginning. Last update: Monday, October 16, 2000 (Late Bake). Thursday Night, October 4, 2000: As You may know, Columbus Day at Disneyland is my way of making sure that the disaster that was Columbus Day, 1996 never happens again. We have the weekend and we have something special to do! Disneyland, here we come! Did you know that I'm saving all these web entries? Well, I am. It's my intention to burn the reports onto a CD someday, so the Lads can relive their Adventures of youth when they get older and pass them on to THEIR children! Maybe they'll get motivated to take THEIR children to Disneyland and not put it off! Well, the night of Thursday, October 4 was memorable. We all have our 2000 - 2001 Disneyland annual passes in hand. The Giants lost a playoff game, in an exciting contest. We even had Colt's new tutor come to the house for the first time, and (although I thought it was going to be a disaster) it turned out OK. The game was watched and lost, but all homework was done by the time they got back to their Mom's house. The tutor has bright pink hair, but some of the finest OES volunteers I ever worked with had blue or green hair at one point. Pink? Not a problem! She (The Boy's Mom) was gracious and accommodating, in that she accepted the Boy's somewhat late return without complaint and had a good selection of Boy's clothing ready to pack for the Adventure. I had an encounter tonight, at the Safeway, after I dropped the Boys off, with a couple with young children. They listened to my story and said I was a "Terrific Dad!", for not going away. Thanks! They said "so many Dads do go away", and I felt so empowered by their words. I am, I think, an invincible Dad. Hey, but We're going away! OK, Big difference! For Friday Afternoon: Let's get out o'town! Fights, Frights and United Flights! Here we go!
Friday night, October 6, 2000 Well, here we are back in the land that Walt built. We got to our closely scheduled (Boys out of school at 12:20, us on the plane by 1:40) flight on time and with little worry. Of course, it was late - but that's to be expected. It's United. I got squished between a very big dude and a nice businessman. Colt got the same but his big dude was a big woman - one row in front of me. NOW I know what e-ticket means - E-row seats! E-squish! I had trouble opening my magazine without intruding on my seatmate's space. (Not to be confused with the old Disneyland "E-Ticket", which actually got you a cool ride. Aside: Did you know that Disneyland will still accept those tickets? They do - and will refund them - AT FACE VALUE! Yes, folks, those old 10 cent tickets will bag you 10 cents! Of course, the Disney organization will THEN go out and sell those collectables for HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS! Might I suggest Another Avenue to part with them ?- Like ANY Avenue? We got in just in time for a little Southland traffic. It jams up like traffic in the Bay Area, but moves at 60 MPH. You DO have to pay attention! We arrive in the Park a little after 6:00 PM - hungry time. To the Bengal BBQ for the usual - isn't it cool to have a "usual" at Disneyland? The Bengal beef was spicy, and the Banyan chicken was sweet - as usual. It was good, but not as filling as remembered. Perhaps it's The Boys getting bigger. Thus fortified, we tried to make it to the 'Rocket Rods' - not reported as closed on the web site, we assume it's open. ASSUME NOT! THEY'RE GONE!!! Rumor has it that they broke down too much. The fact is, there is a sign in the waiting lobby entrance promising their return in Spring 2001. Too bad, but we had a number of rides on the usuals (Haunted Mansion, Space Mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean, Star Tours) and two jaunts on the new, highly publicized AUTOPIA. About Autopia: It preserved the best of the old and added much in the new. For one thing, the new course encompasses the real estate of both the Autopia that was closed last year and the one that has been closed for as long as I can remember - so the ride is twice as long as before. There is a huge "Jumbotron" type of screen that keeps waiting crowds amused with humor and jokes reminiscent of the humor used on the Jungle Cruise - clean and corny. Using the 'fast pass' system is highly recommended - it works. At the end of the wait are three animated boxes - using the Chevron cars as characters. We plugged on for several hours. We finished our last Autopia ride - we used our fast passes - well after the 10:00 PM closing time. We just thought to try Adventure Land again - Why not? We're on adventure! - one more time. Well, it was going full blast. Heck, the place wasn't going to close until midnight, we were told! What? That's not what the website, the sign at the gate nor the shuttle driver said! OK, we'll just have to live with that. We Adventure Boys - and the princess with us - have learned to live with surprises and scheduling twists. We can survive this! Finding ourselves in Adventure Land AND finding ourselves a bit hungry AND finding the Bengal Barbecue still open -- Well, we decided to help ourselves to - what else - more of 'the usual'! What was UNUSUAL, we found, was that the spicy Bengal beef was far less spicy this time, than mere hours before. I wonder if they tone it down for the late hour? Another Disneyland mystery! We'll just have to do further testing. Finishing up, we exit the Park and wait for the shuttle bus. Well, we waited too long, because, by the time we walked back to the Candy Cane Inn (The Usual Place), we found the bus parked and locked up tight. Disneyland stayed up late tonight, but forgot to tell the Hotels and Inns about it. Oh, well, one has to expect that while on adeventure! The weather was warm - by my standards - but 100% overcast. As I type this, outside on the deck, the boys are still up (sort of) and I'm wearing a long sleeved T-shirt. Not the warmest, yet not the harshest climate we have faced here. I have seen my friend, the Candy Cane Night security guy, but he hasn't recognized me yet. Just wait! Of course, The Boys went to bed way too late tonight, but that's my fault for rebuilding a junked notebook for them - and bringing it along. They played games on it until I called a halt, at which time they both immediately went to sleep - they're exhausted! Come to think of it -- so am I!
Saturday, October 7, 2000 This morning, we sluggishly awoke to a morning of 100% cloud cover and a muggy chill. When we finally shake the chill out and make Disneyland just before noon, we discover that almost all of Southern California thinks today would be a great day to visit. We also discover that I'm not the only Northerner to use Columbus day as an excuse to come down and take advantage of the schooling situation - several others are down from the North as well. We also discover that some Gay pride group has selected today as some kind of "Do Disney day". Distinguishable only by their red shirts and San Franciscan style humor, the only problem they present is adding to the population inside the gates. I guess that explains the airplane buzzing by with a banner promoting some gay duck's website. With lunch behind us - burgers and pretzels at Tomorrowland - we head for the monorail. Rather than a scoot through the new construction site, the monorail is a back and forth shuttle between the hotel and Disneyland. Inefficient, but much better than the last time we visited, when it was completely shut down. We head to the Disneyland Hotel, where vast construction is going on there, too. It seems that this project will turn Disneyland into a hotel zone, a shopping center, a media center, a multiplex movie house and two amusement parks. It's impressive. One cast member leaked to us that Disney wanted to build this in Long Beach, but City officials had a problem with some of the things Disney wanted to do - so they just took their ball and went home to Anaheim - where they NEVER have a problem with approving what Disney wants to do. Well, he also made it a point of denying the existence of the "underground Disneyland", when we found an entrance from the tram. Duh! Anyone who has waited for the "Rocket Rods" has been there - just converted for public use. Rumor has it that the local Law Enforcement has a substation down there! This came from a confidential source. At the hotel, the radios came in handy as one boy got separated from us. It was an anxious time, but in the end he had simply misunderstood what we were going to do and was about 50 feet away. Still, it was another case of "Forget the Force. Use the radio, Luke". A walk around the hotel - and
a round of remote controlled boats - Christopher commands his boat! At a "smoking spot", The Boys got curious and hopped a fence to nowhere and saw nothing. What happened? They got busted - by a janitor. They have secret hiding spots. I got busted too, looking to see what The Boys had found, by standing on a bench. The Boys had made themselves scarce. Can you guess what we wanted to do - and did - just then? We left. This crowded circus was quite enough. We went back to the hotel and relaxed. Slept, even. We ate dinner outside and returned about 9:00 PM. We watched the fabulous fireworks display. We worked our way through the streaming crowds with strollers. Streaming, as it turned out, for the exit. This was good news for us! We did our second fast pass ride on IJ and had a great time. We did the Haunted Mansion - twice. Well, The Boys did it on their own for the first time and we did it again as a group later. Their first ride alone was the same one that freaked Colt out as a youngster! Power to the Children! YES! I finally got my ride on the Teacups! I don't know why I like it so much - maybe it's because the children loved it so much in their younger days - maybe its because my Dad took me when I was a Boy - I don't know. But I do. We just did it! A late "double header" on Space Mountain completed the evening. When we were done, it was midnight, and the time to head out was nigh! Back at the Hotel, the Boys wanted to watch TV, play on the computer and eat - sweets. They seemed perfectly satisfied to take their showers, brush their teeth, drink their (bottled) water and go to sleep. You just have to direct them. The tap water, by the way, is still as awful as rumored. Totals for the trip: Disneyland Hours: Yesterday: 7. Today 10. Total = 17 Disneyland hours.
Sunday, October 8, 2000 Shucks, let's change colors! Today was a bit of a change of pace. We were exhausted from Saturday, so we felt no rush to get into the Magic Kingdom. The weather, to add to our mood, was bleak and cloudy, so our movements were slowed. When we got moving out at about noon - Adventure was sure to follow. The first stop was lunch at a shopping center - no big deal there. We walked the center afterwards and were surprised by the contrasts. On one hand, a 99 cent store was doing brisk business - to the point of seeing kids buying candy with food stamps (and taking the change in cash). On the other hand, BMWs and other brand new expensive vehicles sprinkled a parking lot mostly populated with other - older vehicles. The Princess with us - it's her birthday - suggested we get out of there. We did, but not before we got her a birthday card, which the boys suitably modified! A visit to the local Fry's Electronics store was next. Last visit, one gift certificate was exchanged - this time the second one was turned in - for another game, of course! A scenic drive through the entire Anaheim area followed - like anywhere, there are nice areas and seedy ones. A little "parent intelligence" was gathered - the park was far less crowded today, but far more than usual for this time of year - an indication that my Columbus Day trick has been found out! Entry into the park - using our new passports - was without incident. We managed to outwait a breakdown of the Matterhorn Bobsleds and get that ride Christopher really, really wanted. It was then off to dinner. I really like to give The Boys a fine meal for our 'last night' Supper (before I have to turn them over to their Mom). Tonight's meal at the Bear Country Barbecue was no exception! Pork ribs were the order of the night, and they demolished their meat, corn, beans and biscuits! I don't think you can have a better balanced meal than that! The only part they declined was the cole slaw - they don't like ANY cole slaw, even mine - but I was more than happy to oblige 'em by taking it off their hands! We found an engraved trinket at the after dinner smoking place, which we promptly took to lost and found. I hope it makes it back to the rightful owner. As readers know, lost and found has worked for us in the past! The 45th celebration parade followed, and radio provided coordination for a mad dash to the Indiana Jones ride afterward. ("Use the radio, Luke!") Well, we got our ride, then another - thanks to no line. Colt was able to take a third ride, alone, as the rest of us went for a bathroom and smoke break. "Just a minute, Bill", I hear you ask. "Wasn't Colt terrified of the Indiana Jones ride, just a few years ago"? Well, gentle reader, he was. He wouldn't ride it for some time after the first time - due to a fright about bugs on the route. I'm happy to report that he is completely over it - and letting him ride the attraction alone lets him take that old "Bug -O-Phobia" into his own hands and squish it completely - like, well, a bug! Again, 'Power to the Children". Back to Disneyland. It's closed now, but we have fun at the arcades before we depart. Back at the hotel, The Boys want to run their games, but there isn't room on their computer. Some corrupted DOS game has to go. Colt proves a whiz at DOS instructions and is able to rid the machine of the program the old way - one subdirectory at a time. I'm quite proud. Well, it's our last night and the day has been good. The weather has been satisfactory, but by no means hot. We never used the sunscreen I so carefully brought. The website crashed when a field upload failed, but it got fixed quickly - while we were at Disneyland. The area must be growing, because the high voltage lines that were just moved to make room for the California Disney are being upgraded - the pulleys to replace cables are up right now. I'll bet we see more than the twin conductors when we return. Hours Tonight: 4:00 PM until 10:30 PM (We went for Ice Cream and the Arcade): 6.5 hours. Added to the 17 hours, so far = 23.5 Disneyland hours!
Monday, October 9, 2000 This morning, the weather had taken a turn for the worse! It was cold and foggy. Nonetheless, we head off for the Magic Kingdom! The Boys got their ride on Splash Mountain, and that's all that counts! A lunch at Bengal Barbecue is it's regular spicy self. A cast member tells us that the BBQ sauce is always the same and I have no reason to doubt her.
At 2:40, the regular buzzer sounds on my pager and HAM radio - It's time to go to pick up The Boys! In this case, it's time to depart Disneyland and head for the airport. Total = 26.5 Disneyland hours! An early dinner later, the rental car returned - with a wild rat story attached, with yet another "Forget the Force! Use the radio!" incident under our belts, we are - seriously delayed. A storm has interfered with our "well in time " plans! Well, we made it home with some delays and The Boys were back at their Mom's home by 11:00 PM. "Everything that comes around, goes around Dep't": If you closely read the current events column, you'll remember Colt's new tutor, you know - the one with the pink hair - is aboard our plane! What a coincidence! Well Adventured, The Boys return to their Scholastic duties. Colt fights for - earns and wins - a reprieve from his "medications". As of Nov 6, 2000 he is still earning his right to be medication free. Christopher is doing extremely well, TYVM!
Criminy sakes, we try to tell kids that "drugs are bad", then forcibly medicate the hell out of them. THEN we wonder why they accept drugs when they're older? GET A CLUE! Duh! At 12 years of age, I'm standing beside my child in the war against Drugs, AGAINST HIS MOTHER and her Doctors. Fortunately, Colt has presented himself as not needing those medications, and he has me to help stand up for him. As of early November, 2000, he is responding well. He knows that he has the backing of his Dad, as long as he does well - and he has.
|
Photos from the trip are included!
