Disneyland 2015 - Day 3

Cars Land

Today is the official release date of The Force Awakens, and as we entered Disneyland this morning, cast members were handing out BB-8 pins to all guests. BB-8 is a new character who will soon be everyone’s favorite little droid (sorry R2). We bought Jackson breakfast at the Jolly Holiday Café since he slept through breakfast at the hotel. While I was waiting for his order, I met a cast member named Sabrina. Sabrina has worked at Disney for ten years and usually she’s a cashier, but today she was doing wait-time studies. She picks a guest and then watches how long it takes them to get through the line and records it on this tablet. So, let me get this straight, Disney hires people to secretly stalk and stare at people all day and record what they do!? Sign me up, Walt. I can totally do that. I actually already do that. I had a nice chat with Sabrina and we bonded, but I didn’t feel we were close enough for me to tell her she had a poppy seed stuck in her teeth. I still feel guilty for not mentioning it. I’m sorry, Sabrina. 

Chad and the kids headed to Adventureland to ride Indiana Jones, and I walked along the Rivers of America, enjoying the sun and the view. The river will be closing in a few weeks while new construction begins; it will be shortened and rerouted to make room for a new Star Wars themed land. I took pictures, watched the Mark Twain Riverboat pass by, and enjoyed the solitude until 9:55, when my phone vibrated and notified me of an important mission I had to accomplish. I found a bench in Frontierand, sipped my coffee, and waited until 10:00, when tickets for Steve Martin and Martin Short’s Seattle show went on sale. I guess they heard how much I wanted them to come to Seattle. Once I purchased those, I found my family at the Tiki Juice Bar buying a Dole Whip.

Tom Sawyer Island, the Mark Twain Riverboat,
and Big Thunder Mountain peaking over the trees

We rode Big Thunder Mountain Railroad before feeling the pull to return to Season of the Force. We’ve never spent so much time in Tomorrowland as we have on this trip. Our first stop was Tomorrowland’s Magic Eye Theater, ex-home of Captain EO (God rest its soul). The theater is now home to Star Wars: Path of the Jedi, a 10-minute film of clips from all six Star Wars films, edited together to tell the story of the Jedi. The picture quality was perfect, the sound was so loud that it rattled our chests, and the floor moved so that during the battle sequences, we felt like we were in the ships. Once the film told the entire story of the Jedi, it seamlessly transitioned to a preview for The Force Awakens.

Next, we went to Launch Bay and we looked at everything with new eyes. Ashley got in line to meet Darth Vader and ask for his autograph. The rest of us looked at artwork, and I watched a video about the making of the new film. I contemplated buying a Darth Vader costume because Disneyland makes you think having things like that is not only important, but neccessary.

When it was Ashley’s turn to meet Darth Vader, she asked a cast member if he signed autographs, the cast member, who was from Alderon, said, “Lord Vader does not sign autographs. Are you considering joining the Empire?”

“No, probably not,” Ashley said.

“That’s okay, I’m a rebel spy, also,” said the girl, handing Ashley a card that gave her clearance to join the Empire.

When Ashley approached Darth Vader for a picture, he told her, “You’ll be receiving your instructions shortly. Do not disappoint us.”

“Yes, Lord Vader,” she said. 

While Ashley was was being tempted to turn to the Dark Side, Ali and Jackson were outside at Tomorrowland Terrace watching a group of young padawans learn how to use the force and become Jedi Knights. While I loved watching the brown-robed munchkins swinging their little light sabers with all their might, what I enjoyed most was watching Jackson watch the kids. I could actually feel how much he wished he were little again. He and Ali cheered for the mini Jedis as they each got a turn to face Darth Vader in a light saber battle. The cut-off age is twelve for the Jedi Training and I hope, for my family's sake, when the new Star Wars Land opens, they raise the cut-off age to fifty.

You're never too old to want to be a Jedi

We left Disneyland and walked to California Adventure for lunch. Everyone wanted something different, so Pacific Wharf was the perfect choice. Ali got soup in a bread bowl, Chad and Ashley ate Chinese food, and Jackson ate Mexican food. I nibbled their leftovers because there are always leftovers.

With full bellies, we rode California Screamin’. The roller coaster's name fits because it's so fast, and it presses you down so hard in your seat, that you can’t help but scream. We love that ride, and we were all dizzy when we got off. We walked around Paradise Pier, browsed the souvenir shops, ate soft-served ice cream cones on the pier, and ended up riding Ariel’s Undersea Adventure. Ashley wanted to go to the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail at Grizzly Peak, but the teenagers were ready to rest at the hotel. I took them back to the room and Chad took Ashley on an adventure. They completed tasks in the woods like learning how to track animals, howling like a wolf, and rock climbing. Ashley became a Senior Wilderness Explorer and took an oath with a park ranger.

When they returned, we dropped from exhaustion and napped for a bit. When we returned to the parks and arrived at the security tents where bags are searched, Chad was chosen to also go through a metal detector. For a second time (I think it’s the beard).

The cast member said, “You’ve been randomly selected to go through the metal detector.”

“Is it ‘cause I’m cute?” Chad asked.

Disneyland was bursting with strollers stuffed with sleeping or screaming babies. The park was so crowded, it was difficult to walk. We stopped at Bengal Barbeque for snacks and then rode Big Thunder Mountain because it’s so much fun in the dark. Wait times were getting ridiculous, so we finished the night at California Adventure where we had fast passes that saved us hours. Soon, everyone's legs and feet were sore and the only thing we wanted to do was go to bed. Approximately 2,000 other guests had the very same idea, and we all walked out the exit at the same time.

"The Force is strong in my family. My father has it. I have it. My sister has it. You have that power, too."      - Luke Skywalker

- Rachel