Disneyland and Teacup Rides ...Friday, 2nd Nov '12

A big day to-day. We are off to Disneyland in a few mins.
It's over the road and up a block, so a nice walk and we are there.

It's $87 each and they don't discount their tickets very much at all, so after hunting around for day's looking, found it's safer to just go to the gates and buy there!

Arrived at the entrance gates and found out there are two areas in the Disney fun park you can visit now...each costing $90 odd dollars...Adventureland and Disneyland...We ended up in the wrong line up because we weren't aware of the difference!

Eventually found our way into Disneyland, along with thousands of others and so began the waiting game!

The front hasn't changed in 30years, Mickey is still smiling back at us. It was a sunny day after a smoggy start and the weather was just the right temperature.

We were hustled out of the square there and the band began to play, ushering in another Disney Day.

Then along came Alice and friends and the kids all went wild and yelled and clapped, along with a lot of bigger kids too.

It was opening time and the queues were beginning to form for rides, so we took the circuit train and went around the park for an orientation so we could find where everything was.

Nothing much seems to have changed in 30 years. It's still kept sparkling clean, hedges perfectly groomed, gardens full of blooming flowers and not one piece of gum on the footpaths anywhere.

From the circuit train across the park at 10 am on Friday, 2nd November 2012. a perfect day.

The train goes right around Disneyland and stops at each themed area, like Tomorrow Land, Fantasy Land and so on. This shot shows the crowds entering the 20 or so entrance gates, just on 10 am!

This shot won't turn correctly! Sorry...

Entering Spaceland...We did all the rides and this was the next one after the train ride.

You can make the rocket go higher or lower, so we did! It wasn't too fast...just fast enough!

You could keep your glasses on and hold your camera, so it was tame, compared to what was to come!

Then we went on a laser blaster ride where you are given a laser gun and have to aim at a zz target and gain points...apparently!. We were halfway round before we realized this, as it is assumed you know this first.

There's a guy with his little blue laser gun getting ready to aim. This was a fun ride and seemed to last a bit longer than the others. Lots of bright colours all the way thru.

I only scored 176,000 points...with my left hand too, as I had my camera in my right hand, so I was a L-4, a Space Scout.

Heading towards Space Mountain, the roller coaster ride in the dark. We are up top of the building now, in a queue only 45 mins long!

About to enter into the roller coaster soon...There is no restriction on the use of cameras at all in here. I was amazed, as everywhere else restricts camera use because of copyright. But here encourages it.

About to hop on the scary dark roller coaster ride...

They take pics of every car as it passes a certain point and post it outside afterwards for 5 mins only, so you can take your own picture of it or order it from the merchandising counter. We were right up the back of this car and both being so short, hardly appeared over the top of the seats!

Then we went for lunch. I was surprised at the quality of food here now. They have lovely salads and pastas and different types from the junky stuff you'd imagine. This salad was chicken, delicious and very filling.

We both had Asian Chicken Salad...at just on $9 plus tax!

The little model car track is still there...Even adults went on this one. We didn't, we were on a mission!

Mission accomplished. My goal was to take Val on a Tea Cup ride in Disneyland. Here it is.

Such a pretty sight with the Chinese Lanterns overhead. Very colourful and it looked great with the blue sky.

Trying to get a shot...I forgot to charge the battery for the new camera which is a Cannon 16 Mega P and 5 x zoom, Powershot A2300 HD. It had about 6 pics charge in it, so all these Disneyland pics were taken on my broken camera, which has to be pressed about 7-20 times to get one picture. The moment is long gone tho' by the time the frame is eventually captured!

A close up of the cup and saucer...

Some beautiful red Pellagoniums in the afternoon sun. Tried about 10 times to get this shot....the sun had moved on and the light changed by the time my poor little Samsung had eventually done the trick.

Things were being changed after all the Halloween fun...

Such a lot of work in the decoration of these wagons...

Heading up to New Orleans Square and we saw Toy Story characters chatting...

This is Thunder Mountain, the ride that was closed for maintenance when we were here 31 years ago

We went on it. It's a "steam train" very fast roller coaster and looks really weird as it thunders through the mountain, winding in and out of caves into the sunlight and thru' water over the tracks and so on. It is a thumpy ride and jerks on corners and is a bit of a wild ride!.

Then we went down to have a ride on the Paddle Steamer, missed it by one minute, but the view was pretty.

Then it came back and we still missed out on a ride as it needed mechanical repairs...missed it last time too.

Finding chandeliers in most unusual places...

New Orleans Square is now decked out for Xmas...

The Haunted House isn't as scary as it was before. The whole program has changed and is faster. People told us that Monday-Thursday are less crowded days and would be better for families if you want to visit Disneyland and do all the rides in one day, which is possible.

We had decided to leave about 6.30 pm even though it stayed open until 11pm and the evening parade came past.

Most things passed me by the time my camera eventually clicked. The shutter button broke right off too when I dropped it and I taped it back on until I bought a new one. Lucky I took it incase I couldn't work the new one. Just forgot to charge the battery in the new one, that's all!

Our last vision of a happy Day in Disneyland...