8/14-17 Universally Strange -- A Kuzcochik Trip Report

[Craigroy8287]

Great Report and pics.

[Clawdee]

can't wait for more!

As for TV on DVD, blah on prices! I'm too poor for it XD At the moment any spare money goes into our DLand trip jar! But after DLand I will so start saving to get them on DVD. That and about 500 other shows XD

[Kuzcochik]

Sorry I'm so behind on this thing guys. It's been a busy and not so great weekend.
I thought I'd update with some of the final pics to get my mind off of stuff (I got in a car accident last night... I'm fine but my minds like blah!)

So where were we?
Saturday.... Saturday we actually did early entry. Since we stayed at Paradise Pier, we got to go in for EE which I hadn't done in years (but it started at 7am...blarg!). So we headed straight for Nemo cause my mom still hadn't done it. The line was about 30 minutes so it wasn't too terrible. That rides still cute, but nothing spectacular with me and I've realized I'm only willing to go if someone hasn't seen it or if the lines under 20 min.
We then spent sometime in Fantasyland (Peter, Toad & Alice) and then went into ToonTown for some Roger Spinning Action!

We got DDDDIIIIIIPPPPPPPPPEEEDDD!


Outside Goofy had a short line and looked bored... not sure why he's eating his hand... or why my mouth is open so big


Heading back into Fantasyland, my aunt and I decided to go on the tea cups... my mom stayed back and took such flattering photos, like ones of me yawning


BTW, I'm a Fantastic tea cup spinner... just so you know




I think this was right before I kept pretending to throw up :P


And spent!


After a trip to Big Thunder and Pirates we visited a very haunted mansion

Before


And After


Bwha ha ha ha!


We braved Splash Mountain (single rider of course) and on our way to the dreaded Pooh we saw some Brers. I was really excited and though there was no line, I waited patiently. Some lady kept trying to throw her kid in front of Brer Bear. The kid finally got up to him and his first question was "Who are you?!" Brer Bear looked at him as if to say "you're kidding right" then gave him a dismissing hand wave and walked away toward me.
I said "Hey Brer Bear" and he grabbed me in a hug (having noticed the kid stepping on me and probably happy I knew who he was)
Again... not sure why my mouth is open so freakin' wide :P


We rode Pooh and then I caught Brer Fox
He stole my glasses (going so far as to try to hide them in his vest


More inconsequentialness followed. Some DCA, some food, some Mania, etc. Then we decided to head back to the hotel for a bit.
I passed out for maybe 20 minutes and decided to go down to the park by myself for a bit.
I bought Halloween shirt and caught a couple characters hanging outside Coke Corner. The Mad Hatter started yelling that they all had to go prepare for the parade so he grabbed Alice by her bow and pulled her down the street (she waver the whole time)... I kind of love that the Hatter can be so blunt like "People... we're leaving" and like all the other characters have to come with. For a "Mad" Hatter he certainly is lucid sometimes... not as much mercury exposure on Saturdays I guess.




Peter followed them off stage too.


As I continued down main street I ran into Mary Poppins, Bert and the Pearly Band.
And off they were to tea


I love that this guys tie is in his drum


And a lovely thing she is too


Right this way


Biggest word you've ever heard!


Disney likes to sanction child labor


Mary goes Woo!


Step in time


And then there was a change in the wind, so Mary & Bert had to go


The band at the castle


To waste some more time, I ended up heading back to Tomorrowland and the dream home. It's kind of cool when you actually get to see the effects and such. I sat in on story time. Some of it was really cool, but showing the movie while reading the story seems pointless


My mom and aunt were on their way back into the park to meet me so I headed back to the main gate.
I sat down on a planter a few feet away from Mulan who was sitting in the shade, beating the heat all by herself. Some woman came up to her and said "Who are you"
Mulan responded "I'm Mulan"
The woman said "Where are you from?"
Mulan said "China"
The woman had apparently meant what movie (but I couldn't stop laughing).
They left and I apologized to Mulan for laughing at her. She said it was okay, she was use to that. Then asked why I was sitting there. I explained I was waiting. She asked me if I lived in the area... I'm pretty sure Mulan thought I was a CM (which made me really happy.) It was then time for her to go so she said goodbye.
I really love random moments like that.

With my mom and aunt back we decided to hit up Star Tours and then skipped over Space instead opting for Buzz.
Then something crazy happened. By the end of the first Zurg room my score was well over 600,000... I've never ever scored that high.

By the end of the ride well... I think the pics speak for themselves


(Notice crazy winner eyes)


That's right! top guest of the day!! I was in third but still! Holy cow! I was way too excited


We then headed back to Space with new elation and ended up treking back to DCA to have dinner at the Winery.

Afterwards we went to Mania again and hopped in the single rider line.
Now I warn you, here's my other really long story of this trip.
As we're standing there this guy and his wife get in the Single Rider Line behind us. The man has a very small infant strapped to his chest. Because of this, the CM explains to him, they cannot got in this line because the infant can't ride by itself and children have to be over 7 yrs old. Now Disney's point is the baby technically makes the man 2 people and therefor not single. The baby's not going to play the game (obviously) but the rules state it would have to have it's own seat.
Now the man starts getting irrate. He's in the CM's face he's using very choice language and screaming for managers. Everyone's starting to feel uncomfortable.
A few seconds later a lead comes up. She very calmly explains the same thing the CM did, they are technically two bodies so they are not single riders. They can wait in the regular line or take turns going in the single rider but they cannot ride w/ the baby. The man gets upset again. Screaming at the lead now (towering over his in a far too threatening way), more language, more threats of reporting her. then he said what really pissed me off "I'm a premium Annual Passholder, you can't do this to me" I about hauled off and smacked him myself!
This goes on for a while and the guy finally gets out of line still talking to the CM. The people that had been behind him move up in line near us and you can tell we all felt extremely awkward (hell I was embarrassed for the idiot).
So i got on, my aunt got on and my mom was still waiting. A manager was standing near her and commented on her shirt. My mom then asked her if she was a manager to which she replied "I can be... do you have a problem". My mom said no, but I think you need to get back there and help your Cast Members. They're getting reamed for telling this guy he has to follow the rules... they've done everything right (to which the couple that had been behind us agreed).. etc etc. The manager told her she was on it.
So i pulled back into the station, still kind of off put by the whole thing (like angry for the CM... I'm sorry I'm empathetic). While my aunt and I waited for my mom, the lead walked by. I hurried up to her and asked if I could ask her something. She froze (probably afraid I was going to scream at her too) and I basically just started gushing to her about how she was in the right and she did everything perfectly and she shouldn't worry and I was so glad she stuck to the rules. She thanked me and then went off with the manager. We never found out what really happened but it was crazy!

Okkay sorry for the novel.
Afterwards we went on Screamin' where i got the front... woot


After soarin' we went back to disneyland for a dole whip and some tiki birds. The fireworks were going on outside so the room was pretty dead but everyone inside was singing along and kids were dancing and it was like the cutest thing ever (made up for the earlier stuff)




Then we went shopping and left the park.
I've got a couple pics left from the few hours I was in the park Sunday and that's the end of it see you soon

[Armadillo4]

Kuzcochik, I can't believe I missed the start of your TR last week! It's full of trip report goodness.

Congrats on the super high BLAB score! That's awesome! Mad props for giving Brer Bear his due. I'm sure the CM appreciated it. And your Mulan encounter was also a nice moment.

Speaking of characters, I'm glad to see your love for them extends to other parks as well. And thanks for all the terrific photos, especially the parade pics and characters!

[Disney Liz]

I love your TR!
The pics you got over at Universal Studios are terrific and I'm so jealous of your Fievel encounter and that cool Norman Bates encounter.
You managed to get some pretty nifty photos in Disneyland as well.
Thanks so much for sharing.

[SplashMoun10]

...skiping the stuff about universal...

Disney-related report is good tho.

[pratt55]

Kuzco I am so proud of you, first off you obviously rocked it on BLAB, then chatting with Mulan but most of all for giving the CM at TSMM kudos on handling an Idiot.

[Clawdee]

More fantastic photo's and I'm glad your ok! I love the photo's of Hatter pulling Alice away!

[kickcows]

Sorry to hear about your blah mood.

Your hair looks FANTASTIC!!!

Great TR as well. The boat/Blue Bayou story made me laugh. Sounds like something I would do. And the Universal portion - my prom was at the Universal Sheraton. On the way home, we drove by the WB (I live in Burbank, i could almost see my house in your pic of the water tower), my date said "Can we go visit the Animaniacs?"

[HighLeveller]

So THAT's where this is! Been looking for it.

Very cool TR.

[mariezp]

Very fun and entertaining trip report! Great photos too. You seem to really have a knack for finding some unique interaction among characters. And kudos to you for patting that poor cm on the back. Thanks for sharing.

I have to tell you I have no idea what a Freakazoid is. When I saw your shirt my best guess was that you were a "future incredible".

Oh and BTW, your new hair cut is really cute.

[WheresMickey]

Great report, sorry to hear about the accident! Glad your okay!

[DonDuck]

So sorry to hear about your accident. Hope all is well. Anudder awe-sum TR, BTW!

[Kritter]

Great TR, KC!

Love the Tea Cups pictures

[Coheteboy]

I
Okay, this pic is terrible quality... but I thought it was funny how it looked just like the pic I took w/ Matt Groening at Comic Con (he didn't look that scared... maybe on the inside)

Allow me: