Trip report August 24, 2006 (short)

[RobotMirror]

After a week of working late nights and long hours, I decided to take a break from work and just hang out in Disneyland today. Some observations:

1. The Monorail. Wow, they work fast. There are refurbishment signs and walls in the Downtown Disney station, and plywood and steel scaffolding all OVER that station, up to the ceiling. It's noticeable from the parking lot even, and although I can't think of what refurbishment the station needs, it's probably for paint, while the station's down.
I took a lot of pictures which I'll post later.

2. Space Mountain. 10 minute wait for the first 90 minutes Disneyland was open, and then up to 30 and finally 40 minutes when I left around 1230 p.m. Disneyland seemed otherwise busy, but this is a short wait for summer.

3. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. After visiting the Big Thunder Ranch for the first time (cute animals!), I rode this quickly. The water pressure in the first lift hill is much better, and splashes nicely. There still is a water bottle cap where the rattlesnakes (snakes by a train!) are, but almost no line for this ride today.

4. Haunted Mansion. Everything looked great, although there no longer is a heartbeat sound heard when entering the attic. Very strange to not hear this after months with it playing as a tie back to the old attic. I watched the faces in the seance room the entire time I was in there, and saw the one eye winking, mouth closed face, and then it quickly change to the both eyes open, mouth wide open face, and then to a third face I hadn't seen before. This new effect is clearly artwork, and appears to be projected, although I couldn't see the projector - could it be behind the effect? Very smooth transitions.

5. Indiana Jones. Pole is working fine, and final animatronic seems to be fixed. Only went on it once, so can't tell if the door changes, but based on the car in front of me, I don't think so. Some stuff, like the flashing eyes of Mara, haven't worked in a while, so no changes there.

6. Pirates. Line said 25 minutes, but I timed it as 13 minutes. Everything worked smoothly, and despite reports here to the contrary, all Jack Sparrow AAs are still there!

7. Jungle Cruise. Had a great skipper - Shereen. Very funny. She said that she keeps telling Indiana Jones next door that the real treasure is her, right next door, but that he ignores her to go play with a big rolling ball. She made us all clap for the "backside of water" joke.

8. Tower of Terror. Sign outside said 13 minutes, but
was much shorter. Hadn't been on this ride in a long time - I enjoyed it immensely - great detail in this attraction!

All in all, a semi busy and hot day, but still a lot of fun. I'm always amazed at how much I can get done weekday mornings at Disneyland. And I'm going back for dinner and fireworks tonight~!

[Abominable Snowman]

Thanks for the update! Im goin tomorrow (I hope). I hope the conditions will be what you described! Maybe I will see you there

[DLFreak71]

After a week of working late nights and long hours, I decided to take a break from work and just hang out in Disneyland today. Some observations:


4. Haunted Mansion. Everything looked great, although there no longer is a heartbeat sound heard when entering the attic. Very strange to not hear this after months with it playing as a tie back to the old attic. I watched the faces in the seance room the entire time I was in there, and saw the one eye winking, mouth closed face, and then it quickly change to the both eyes open, mouth wide open face, and then to a third face I hadn't seen before. This new effect is clearly artwork, and appears to be projected, although I couldn't see the projector - could it be behind the effect? Very smooth transitions.

I guess I missed that last time. I know Madam has a face. There's that ghostly looking thing w/ the light that moves all over it. Is that that faces that moves?
I'll have to book a trip sooner than I thought.

[Disney Wrassler]

Enjoy the fireworks FrogBerto, I know I did. Tower of Terror was perhaps the best ride I was on during my visit. Glad you are having a good time !.

[RobotMirror]

Yes, the ghostly looking thing with the light that moves all over it switches, subtly but quickly, between three different faces. There's a thread on this board, by OP Master Gracey, entitled "Haunted Mansion Tracker 2 - New Effects Implemented", and this is also discussed at length at doombuggies.com on their message board.

[wickeddisneygurl]

1. The Monorail. Wow, they work fast. There are refurbishment signs and walls in the Downtown Disney station, and plywood and steel scaffolding all OVER that station, up to the ceiling. It's noticeable from the parking lot even, and although I can't think of what refurbishment the station needs, it's probably for paint, while the station's down.
I took a lot of pictures which I'll post later.

they are painting.

2. Space Mountain. 10 minute wait for the first 90 minutes Disneyland was open, and then up to 30 and finally 40 minutes when I left around 1230 p.m. Disneyland seemed otherwise busy, but this is a short wait for summer.

cool!

3. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. After visiting the Big Thunder Ranch for the first time (cute animals!), I rode this quickly. The water pressure in the first lift hill is much better, and splashes nicely. There still is a water bottle cap where the rattlesnakes (snakes by a train!) are, but almost no line for this ride today.

not surprised by the bottle cap! "snakes by a train," I LOVE it!!!!

4. Haunted Mansion. Everything looked great, although there no longer is a heartbeat sound heard when entering the attic. Very strange to not hear this after months with it playing as a tie back to the old attic. I watched the faces in the seance room the entire time I was in there, and saw the one eye winking, mouth closed face, and then it quickly change to the both eyes open, mouth wide open face, and then to a third face I hadn't seen before. This new effect is clearly artwork, and appears to be projected, although I couldn't see the projector - could it be behind the effect? Very smooth transitions.

it is a little weird at first not to hear it!

i've watched those faces and i still can't see the difference because we go by too fast (that or my eyes are closed )!

5. Indiana Jones. Pole is working fine, and final animatronic seems to be fixed. Only went on it once, so can't tell if the door changes, but based on the car in front of me, I don't think so. Some stuff, like the flashing eyes of Mara, haven't worked in a while, so no changes there.

i'm glad to hear it's working a little bit better. i hadn't heard anything in awhile and i was last there about a month ago.

6. Pirates. Line said 25 minutes, but I timed it as 13 minutes. Everything worked smoothly, and despite reports here to the contrary, all Jack Sparrow AAs are still there!

what about the hat pirate?

the line always moves faster than the posted wait time.

7. Jungle Cruise. Had a great skipper - Shereen. Very funny. She said that she keeps telling Indiana Jones next door that the real treasure is her, right next door, but that he ignores her to go play with a big rolling ball. She made us all clap for the "backside of water" joke.

i think i've had her as a skipper before because that indiana jones joke sounds familiar. it also sounds like something i'd say in general !

8. Tower of Terror. Sign outside said 13 minutes, but
was much shorter. Hadn't been on this ride in a long time - I enjoyed it immensely - great detail in this attraction!

when there is no line extending outside, it usually says 13 minutes.

awesome update! hope you have fun tonight!

[kelly]

wow it wasnt as busy as when i went on monday.. we had a busy day that day

[tinkermonkey]

3. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. After visiting the Big Thunder Ranch for the first time (cute animals!), I rode this quickly. The water pressure in the first lift hill is much better, and splashes nicely. There still is a water bottle cap where the rattlesnakes (snakes by a train!) are, but almost no line for this ride today.

Gee, why did you visit the Ranch? Were you looking for the picture for the happiest horses on earth by chance? Or taking challenging pictures for future rounds of WIDW?

I like your report though, it gives those of us that are too far away a little taste of what being there today might have been like. Thanks!

[RobotMirror]

what about the hat pirate?

Totally forgot to mention it! The place where he stands, and the boat he stands on, are there, but no hat pirate, and no black covering. Still MIA (probably out getting more hats).

[RobotMirror]

Gee, why did you visit the Ranch? Were you looking for the picture for the happiest horses on earth by chance? Or taking challenging pictures for future rounds of WIDW?

I like your report though, it gives those of us that are too far away a little taste of what being there today might have been like. Thanks!

I visited the Ranch because I was TOTALLY miffed by how difficult the recent Widw photo challenge was. I had to first of all, verify that the picture and board were actually there (it was), and second of all, take in all the sights in that area, since I am liable to be just as stumped should someone take pictures of anything in that area all over again! And the happiest horses on earth were there, as described, and was actually very interesting.

[Hakuna Makarla]

Thank you, great report

[LlamaLover]

Thanks for the mini-report Frogberto. I always love hearing of your latest adventure and I can't wait to see photos (hint, hint since it is a slooooooow Friday at work)

[annieb727]

thanks for the trip report...reading trip reports makes me even more eager for my next dl trip!!!

[RobotMirror]

I forgot two things, one of which was an ENTIRE ATTRACTION I went on!

9. The Matterhorn. I chose the tomorrowland side, and for some reason that was a five minute wait, and the Fantasyland side was about a 25 minute wait. One of the Matterhorn cars was down to the side, with a "do not use" tag on it. It didn't seem to be an early refurb closure issue, probably a seatbelt maintenance issue instead, but I don't really know.

There's used gum everywhere on the entrance tunnel of the ride - I know they're going to clean this up, right! I sat in the front, and the ride was fast and fun, and less bumpy that others have reported lately. Still a great ride.

Regarding the Haunted Mansion, I did note that the left singing bust in the graveyard was completely blank, with no projection. This needs to be fixed, as it's noticeable - hear me disney maintenance?

[filmfreak11]

I went yesterday too!

http://www.micechat.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35574