Up at 5:30 for the 6:00am power walk I mentioned in the previous post. This is free activity for guests staying on-site; you just have to sign up at your hotel or by calling guest services. Space for each walk is limited to between 10-20 people depending on the day, but I ended up doing this each morning of our trip and we didn't have more than 8 people each day. The walk itself is 2 miles and takes place in the California Adventure theme park before it's open. As you go, the cast members leading the walk give facts about the park and answer any questions you have. It's like a fast, exclusive behind-the-scenes tour. Taking photos is not allowed on the walk.
The meeting point for the start of the walk was at the Grand Californian entry gate to the California Adventure park. I arrived at 10 'til and there 4 others waiting. About 5 minutes later our Disney cast member fitness leaders arrived and after a quick roll call we signed our liability waivers and were given neon yellow safety vests to wear. Two other guests arrived, and while they were filling out their liability forms the last 2 guests arrived.
The deserted entrance to the park from the hotel. Waiting to get my walk on.
At 6am on the dot the security guard rolled up the gate and we walked into the park. We walked all over the park (including the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail area which normally only adults accompanying children can enter) and frequently had to step aside for vehicles, maintenance crews, street washers, tree trimmers, etc. It was really cool to see all the activity taking place in the park to get ready for the day, and our group leader (I think her name was Alexis) was very down-to-earth and answered any questions we had.
36.29 minutes later we were back at the start, having walked a total of 2.06 miles. It was such a great experience that I would sign up for the next 2 days as well and convinced Todd to join me.
Afterwards I walked into the Hearthstone Lounge (the hotel bar) where they had a small selection of continental breakfast items and coffees/juices. I grabbed a couple of pastries and juices and took them back up to the room for breakfast.
Todd eventually got up and we ate and got ourselves ready for the day. We headed through the hotel entrance to the California Adventure park shortly after the park opened.
The first thing we did was get a Fast Pass to Soarin', which is Soarin' Around the World now instead of Soarin' Over California. Then the first ride of the day was the Grizzly River Run rapids. Whenever possible you should get a Fast Pass before waiting in line for another ride. On the rapids we shared a raft with a local family (who were skipping school) for the youngest's birthday - what a cool birthday! I got mildly wet and Todd got soaked which suited both of us just fine.
Loading station
Final plunge. There's a bit of a fun/nasty surprise right before you come down - I won't give it away here!
Soarin' Around the World. The ride has been updated and has gone international.
The Soarin' queue
Next up was the Silly Symphony Swings, a ride we'd never been on before. While we were in the area we got a Fast Pass for Toy Story Midway Mania, another ride we'd never been on at this park.
Paradise Pier
Silly Symphony Swings
"Look Ma, I'm flyin'!" Ma: "Wheee!"
We skipped California Screamin' this time around
The Corn Dog Castle was closed(!) for refurbishment, so after recovering from the tragedy we went over to the Pacific Wharf area for lunch. We walked through the Boudin Bakery tour for our free sample of sourdough bread, then grabbed lunch from the Pacific Wharf Cafe and ate it outside. I had the turkey pesto club and Todd had broccoli cheese soup in a bread bowl. Both featured Boudin sourdough bread baked at the bakery on site.
Yum
The soup was a little watery
A beautiful day to blow raspberries in front of the Lucky Fortune Cookery.
After lunch we took a quick look inside the Ghirardelli chocolate shop where they handed out free chocolate samples. So good.
Toy Story Midway Mania loading area
Heading into the ride
Next we headed to Cars Land and got in the single rider line for Radiator Springs Racers. The single rider line means you wait in line with your party, but when it comes time to ride you'll be split up to fill other vehicles where only 1 seat is left. It's typically much shorter - the regular line for Radiator Springs Racers was 60 minutes, but we only waited 10 minutes in the single rider line. We actually ended up in the same car on different rows.
The scenery here is incredible
Racing cars cresting the hill in this amazing landscape
Waterfall in the distance
After Racers we rode Luigi's Rollickin' Roadsters before leaving Cars Land.
Luigi's Rollickin' Roadsters
Waiting in line
Let's-a go!
"Rollicking Night and Day"
Such a weird but fun little ride
All lined up for the big finale
Look what we came upon next:
The Collector's fortress has been revealed
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror has been transformed into Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout
For reference, here's what it looked like on a previous trip
The ride wasn't open when we were there at the beginning of May, but it's open now
Quite a different look
We took a break and ducked into the old Muppets 3D theater to see a 10-minute preview of the new Pirates of the Caribbean movie. The preview was pretty good with in-theater effects like flashing lights, but it looks like the actual movie got poor ratings.
We rode Soarin' again using our Fast Passes, took another spin on Grizzly River Run, then another ride on Radiator Springs Racers before heading back to the room for a break and a nap. With such easy access to the hotel, how could we not?
The entrance area for Grizzly River Run
Grizzly Peak in the background
A closer view of the rotating loading dock
This is a shot of the turnoff to exit the park and go to the hotel. Our room was straight ahead behind the trees to the left
We rested for a couple of hours on the other bed we weren't sleeping in nightly, then showered off sunscreen and went back to the park for our dinner reservation at the Carthay Circle restaurant.
I see it
There it is - the Carthay Circle
This is a must do - it never fails to disappoint
Starting off with a couple of pear martinis. And continuing with a couple more.
"I once caught a martini that was this big..."
Todd's telling me a story. I think I hear Lush Life playing in the background
Our waitress was fantastic. I went to the bathroom and she transformed my napkin into the Sydney Opera House.
We had appetizers of fried biscuits "Stuffed with white cheddar, bacon, and jalapeño with apricot-honey butter", and ginger-soy lettuce cups which were much less descriptive: "Romaine, house-made sambal".
For entrees Todd had the salmon and I had the ribeye. Both were outstanding. I also had a glass of pinot noir. Desserts consisted of a caramel something-or-other for Todd with hot tea, and a chocolate marshmallow turnover for me with an Irish coffee. Delicious!
By the time dinner was done the park had closed and it was time to head back to the hotel. We strolled leisurely back to the room to find the beds turned down and Ghirardelli chocolates on the pillows. It was a great way to end the night.
Rides in the mist - the empty rapids rafts return home to the station
Or Close Encounters of the Third Kind - you decide
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