Helpful Hints, questions, and observations from 12/13

[Mac Daddy]

1) Ok...Who out there knew about the hidden medicine cabinet in the Market House? Has this been mentioned this before in Micechat? I went looking for Sudafed for my daughter because her nose exploded AFTER we got to Disneyland this morning and the nice folks at the First Aid station sent us to the Market House with instructions to ask for it at the counter.

So...I followed these instructions, and VOILA! She opens this cabinet behind her to reveal Zantac, Pepto Bismol, Benadryl, Hand Sanitizer....it was like a miniature CVS right next to the hot coffee! I was thinking I was going to have to hoof it back to a hotel gift shop, but there was our Sudafed right in the middle of Main Street! (I bought the last box. ) Am I the only one who didn't know about this?

2) Not sure if it was open due to the proximity of the Holiday crush, but on a hunch I tried the second Mickey and Friends parking entrance off of Magic Way, rather than the traditional entrance closer to Ball Rd.



And we struck gold. Instead of the 20 merging buses, six lanes smashing into two, 40 minute delay we got a couple months ago, we waited behind two, count them, TWO cars! And as we asked for disabled parking, we were at the tram inside of 3 minutes after turning onto Disneyland Dr. from Ball. That, my friends, is a new record for us.

Not saying the same will happen to you, but it might be worth a shot! I have the feeling not too many guests know about that entrance.

3) Today was our first time trying the shuttle for wheelchairs. VERY VERY cool! (We've only had the chair for my wife for about a month.) We popped my wife on the lift, up she went, and my family was driven right past the huddled masses yearing for a tram over to the baggage check area. Now THAT'S what I'm talking about!

4) Question: One side of the Matterhorn was down for some time this afternoon. I saw them pull one of the cars over to the side, and then haul out this fire truck sized hose. Is this what they have to do for a protein spill, or was something else going on. I mean...they emptied EVERY car on that side of the mountain.(left side) The thing that made me curious was the fire hose. Do they NEED that much force to get ride of protein spills?

5) More evidence of not enough CM's in the park - We stood for about 1/2 hr waiting for the wheelchair line in front of IASW with one party ahead of us. The poor CM who was in charge of this area was trying to be three places at once and it wasn't working. Dozens of people kept taking down the chain to pose for photos or to sneak ahead in the line. He kept having to run back down the ramp to assist people, then run back up, chase people away, let people out, let people in, move strollers that we're in the wrong spot....poor guy was just about to lose his mind. They were also filming a new Dreams commercial featuring just about every character in the park across from the entrance which brought a ton of additional traffic into the area. He apologized to us and let us know that there were at least two people who were missing in his area. Is it any wonder that these people leave after a year?

6) And on the other end, someone sank a boat on IASW today. First time this has happened when we've been on the ride. We didn't see it, but we sat there for another 20 minutes or so while everyone waited for them to get this boat moving. I'm told this happens when there is too much weight in the boat. I'm wondering how CM's deal with this delicate situation. Do they just walk them back to the entrance and put them in different boats so no one feels like THEY were the one who sank it? Do they TELL them that the boat was too heavy?

7) The Mark Twain is falling apart. There is significant wood rot all along the lower deck outer planks. I think someone mentioned it was due for a refurb this spring, but they'd better get a move on, or it might not make it that long.

8) Lastly, we've been bumped a bit on Pirates before, but we were getting SLAMMED just before the drop today. Did they recently change something in there to help with the boat groundings? Did they speed up the water flow? Change the contour of the corner before the drop? I remember reading just a couple days ago that someone else was asking the same questions. I mean...we're talking whiplash here....

So...those are my musings for the day. Any answers or comments out there?

[ExJungleSkipper95]

1) Ok...Who out there knew about the hidden medicine cabinet in the Market House? Has this been mentioned this before in Micechat? I went looking for Sudafed for my daughter because her nose exploded AFTER we got to Disneyland this morning and the nice folks at the First Aid station sent us to the Market House with instructions to ask for it at the counter.

So...I followed these instructions, and VOILA! She opens this cabinet behind her to reveal Zantac, Pepto Bismol, Benadryl, Hand Sanitizer....it was like a minature CVS right next to the hot coffee! I was thinking I was going to have to hoof it back to a hotel gift shop, but there was our Sudafed right in the middle of Main Street! (I bought the last box. ) Am I the only one who didn't know about this?

2) Not sure if it was open due to the proximity of the Holiday crush, but on a hunch I tried the second Mickey and Friends parking entrance off of Magic Way, rather than the traditional entrance closer to Ball Rd.



And we struck gold. Instead of the 20 merging buses, six lanes smashing into two, 40 minute delay we got a couple months ago, we waited behind two, count them, TWO cars! And as we asked for disabled parking, we were at the tram inside of 3 minutes after turning onto Disney Way from Ball. That, my friends, is a new record for us.

Not saying the same will happen to you, but it might be worth a shot! I have the feeling not too many guests know about that entrance.

3) Today was our first time trying the shuttle for wheelchairs. VERY VERY cool! (We've only had the chair for my wife for about a month.) We popped my wife on the lift, up she went, and my family was driven right past the huddled masses yearing for a tram over to the baggage check area. Now THAT'S what I'm talking about!

4) Question: One side of the Matterhorn was down for some time this afternoon. I saw them pull one of the cars over to the side, and then haul out this fire truck sized hose. Is this what they have to do for a protein spill, or was something else going on. I mean...they emptied EVERY car on that side of the mountain.(left side) The thing that made me curious was the fire hose. Do they NEED that much force to get ride of protein spills?

5) More evidence of not enough CM's in the park - We stood for about 1/2 hr waiting for the wheelchair line in front of IASW with one party ahead of us. The poor CM who was in charge of this area was trying to be three places at once and it wasn't working. Dozens of people kept taking down the chain to pose for photos or to sneak ahead in the line. He kept having to run back down the ramp to assist people, then run back up, chase people away, let people out, let people in, move strollers that we're in the wrong spot....poor guy was just about to lose his mind. They were also filming a new Dreams commercial featuring just about every character in the park across from the entrance which brought a ton of additional traffic into the area. He apologized to us and let us know that there were at least two people who were missing in his area. Is it any wonder that these people leave after a year?

6) And on the other end, someone sank a boat on IASW today. First time this has happened when we've been on the ride. We didn't see it, but we sat there for another 20 minutes or so while everyone waited for them to get this boat moving. I'm told this happens when there is too much weight in the boat. I'm wondering how CM's deal with this delicate situation. Do they just walk them back to the entrance and put them in different boats so no one feels like THEY were the one who sank it? Do they TELL them that the boat was too heavy?

7) Lastly, we've been bumped a bit on Pirates before, but we were getting SLAMMED just before the drop today. Did they recently change something in there to help with the boat groundings? Did they speed up the water flow? Change the contour of the corner before the drop? I remember reading just a couple days ago that someone else was asking the same questions. I mean...we're talking whiplash here....

So...those are my musings for the day. Any answers or comments out there?

In regards to your last observation about being SLAMMED while on Pirates. I have to agree that ever since I have been going on Pirates since they reopened after the enhancements it has been pretty rough bumping. Everytime I've ridden it we get bumped hard before the drop or just before the final scene before going back up the lift. Don't know why this happens. I call it the Autopia Syndrome.

[LuvsLilo]

Lastly, we've been bumped a bit on Pirates before, but we were getting SLAMMED just before the drop today. Did they recently change something in there to help with the boat groundings? Did they speed up the water flow? Change the contour of the corner before the drop? I remember reading just a couple days ago that someone else was asking the same questions. I mean...we're talking whiplash here....

We were there today and we noticed that. Lil LL whacked her head on the back of our seat because of it. She was fine, thank goodness.

[mrmainstreet]

Other 'medicine cabinets' on MainStreet include: Emporium (the big counter in the center) and Guide II (the first souvie stand on your right when entering the park, by the Bank of Mainstreet)

[TikiRoomLiz]

Other 'medicine cabinets' on MainStreet include: Emporium (the big counter in the center) and Guide II (the first souvie stand on your right when entering the park, by the Bank of Mainstreet)

That's great to know, I never knew about this.

[DisneyMickey]

There can be those days when things just don't go right in the park; I have had them before. Then there are days when I have the perfect, most enjoyable time.