Thanks very much Matt! We love it!!! *Bunny hugs and kisses*
Saturday, August 18, 2012
My (Birthday) Comic!
Our Girl's birthday was recently and her dear friend Matt made her a card with a comic strip that features Michael Binkley from the old comic strip "Bloom County" talking about ME! Our Girl was a huge "Bloom County" fan (and presumably is a fan of myself as well), so this is about as thrilling as it gets. For all of us.
Thanks very much Matt! We love it!!! *Bunny hugs and kisses*
Thanks very much Matt! We love it!!! *Bunny hugs and kisses*
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Disneyland and Walt's Apartment
We got a really wonderful opportunity at Disneyland recently!
Not many people know that Walt Disney himself kept an apartment over the Firehouse on Main Street in Disneyland. Walt spent the night there, entertained there, worked there. His wife Lillian joined him there as well.
Here is the firehouse on Main Street:
Now you may notice that there is a glowing light in the window. The lamp in Walt's apartment would be on whenever Walt was in the park so employees would know he was there. After Walt died in 1966, the lamp was always lit, in honor of Walt's memory.
Me and my Humans were fortunate enough to visit Walt's personal apartment this week. It's quite small, only 500 square feet. Plenty of room for a bunny.
There is also a nice patio that faces out onto Main Street. It gets a fabulous view of the parade, which we were lucky enough to see from Walt's patio.
It was a really wonderful experience and we were so lucky to see Walt's apartment and learn more about the man who built the Happiest Place on Earth!
Not many people know that Walt Disney himself kept an apartment over the Firehouse on Main Street in Disneyland. Walt spent the night there, entertained there, worked there. His wife Lillian joined him there as well.
Here is the firehouse on Main Street:
Now you may notice that there is a glowing light in the window. The lamp in Walt's apartment would be on whenever Walt was in the park so employees would know he was there. After Walt died in 1966, the lamp was always lit, in honor of Walt's memory.
Me and my Humans were fortunate enough to visit Walt's personal apartment this week. It's quite small, only 500 square feet. Plenty of room for a bunny.
 |
| Walt & Lillian's chairs |
 |
| Me on Lillian's couch |
 |
| The view of Main St. from Walt's patio |
 |
| Walt's patio |
 |
| Walt's lamp in the window |
It was a really wonderful experience and we were so lucky to see Walt's apartment and learn more about the man who built the Happiest Place on Earth!
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Comic-Con 2012 and the Anipal TweetUp!
We went to San Diego Comic-Con! And we had a great time. My Humans are not photographers, but we have some pictures and experiences we would love to share!
PEOPLE WE MET
We met some fantastic people.
Like Grae Drake (@popcornmafia on Twitter)! She has a podcast and sometimes you will see her on CNN!
We got to meet Brooke A. Allen (@BrookeAAllen ) - she wrote a graphic novel about a very special rabbit called "A Home for Mr. Easter." She is very pro-bunny. You should all check it out.
STUFF WE GOT
We got the new book from Fat Rabbit Farm! (@FATRABBITFARM)! Fat Rabbit Farm has the cutest shirts, buttons and a series featuring rabbits who eat too much ice cream. I can relate.
We also got a beautiful, wonderful piece of art that we comissioned from Mr. CP Wilson III. If you don't know his work, you should. He is the artist for the fabulous, amazing comic, The Stuff of Legend. If you aren't reading it, go get it right now.
I'll wait.
Anyway, he made me the most lovely drawing of me and the cast of The Stuff of Legend. We plan to frame it and put it on our wall. Do you see my earbows?? It's really something very special.
PANELS WE WENT TO
We went to many panels, but Our Girl's favorite is the FABLES panel, and we had amazing seats. So here's a photo of that:
But the VERY BEST PART of Comic-Con this year was the Anipal Tweetup!!
We arranged a meeting and photo op with some of my very best friends from Twitter who were attending Comic-Con:
Traveling Mocha (@TravelingMocha)
Skeptical George (@SkepticalGeorge)
Fred ColBear (@FredColBear )
The Brownie Bear (@TheBrownieBear)
Cute Bear (@iamthebear)
Koosas (@Koosa_party)
Candy Cane Claus (@CandycaneClaus)
If you're not following them, go follow them now.
I'll wait.
We took a bunch of photos. Here are just a few:
AND THE VERY VERY BEST PART IS...Traveling Mocha dressed up as ME!!!
That may be one of the greatest things that has ever happened to me, ever.
And once the meetup was over, I met another anipal! A dragon. I didn't catch his name.
It was such a wonderful time, meeting friends. I hope they had fun too! It was the highlight of our trip and we plan to have another Anipal TweetUp at Comic-Con in 2013 - or maybe an entire Anipal convention of our own!
PEOPLE WE MET
We met some fantastic people.
Like Grae Drake (@popcornmafia on Twitter)! She has a podcast and sometimes you will see her on CNN!
We got to meet Brooke A. Allen (@BrookeAAllen ) - she wrote a graphic novel about a very special rabbit called "A Home for Mr. Easter." She is very pro-bunny. You should all check it out.
STUFF WE GOT
We got the new book from Fat Rabbit Farm! (@FATRABBITFARM)! Fat Rabbit Farm has the cutest shirts, buttons and a series featuring rabbits who eat too much ice cream. I can relate.
We also got a beautiful, wonderful piece of art that we comissioned from Mr. CP Wilson III. If you don't know his work, you should. He is the artist for the fabulous, amazing comic, The Stuff of Legend. If you aren't reading it, go get it right now.
I'll wait.
Anyway, he made me the most lovely drawing of me and the cast of The Stuff of Legend. We plan to frame it and put it on our wall. Do you see my earbows?? It's really something very special.
PANELS WE WENT TO
We went to many panels, but Our Girl's favorite is the FABLES panel, and we had amazing seats. So here's a photo of that:
But the VERY BEST PART of Comic-Con this year was the Anipal Tweetup!!
We arranged a meeting and photo op with some of my very best friends from Twitter who were attending Comic-Con:
Traveling Mocha (@TravelingMocha)
Skeptical George (@SkepticalGeorge)
Fred ColBear (@FredColBear )
The Brownie Bear (@TheBrownieBear)
Cute Bear (@iamthebear)
Koosas (@Koosa_party)
Candy Cane Claus (@CandycaneClaus)
If you're not following them, go follow them now.
I'll wait.
We took a bunch of photos. Here are just a few:
AND THE VERY VERY BEST PART IS...Traveling Mocha dressed up as ME!!!
That may be one of the greatest things that has ever happened to me, ever.
And once the meetup was over, I met another anipal! A dragon. I didn't catch his name.
It was such a wonderful time, meeting friends. I hope they had fun too! It was the highlight of our trip and we plan to have another Anipal TweetUp at Comic-Con in 2013 - or maybe an entire Anipal convention of our own!
Saturday, July 7, 2012
10 Tips for the 2012 Comic-Con!
A Guide for Stuffed Animals - And Humans Too!
So What is Comic-Con, Anyways?
Comic-Con in San Diego (also known as SDCC) is the biggest comic, entertainment, gaming and pop-culture festival in America.
It lasts 4.5 days and is the busiest, most exhilarating, most exhausting event with upwards of 130,000+ present.
This is at least our 5th year attending (probably our 6th; no one can quite remember).
It takes up the entire San Diego Convention Center. Like most conventions it has a series of panels and a giant exhibition floor. You can easily spend an entire day wandering the exhibition hall floor. The floor is always packed and takes a long time to get anywhere, so be patient.
There are also offsite events too.
There are an enormous amount of panels. We counted 168 official scheduled panel events on Thursday ALONE. So planning ahead is essential.
Hall H is the biggest single venue, where all the Hollywood studios present their TV and upcoming movie panels. It holds 6,500.
Ballroom 20 is the next largest room, and it holds 4,000+.
The other panel rooms, and there are many, hold varying amounts and attendance can fluctuate wildly throughout the day.
There are many, many ways to experience Comic-Con, and everyone does it differently. But here are 10 tips to help you make it a better experience overall:
1. The Only Currency You Have Is Time
At some cons there is a certain level of of stratification. This stratification directly corresponds to the amount of greenbacks you will have exchanged previously with the aforementioned con. That's not unusual (D23 Expo) and we don't judge (New York Comic Con), but Comic-Con doesn't play that. It really tries to be as equitable as possible, and that means taking "First Come, First Served" to the extreme. If you want to be in the panel for THE WALKING DEAD in Hall H, you need to think about how much time (and for that one think in terms of hours - plural) it is worth to you, because that will be your method of payment.
As Our Girl put it, "Would I like to go to the panel for THE HOBBIT? Sure I would. But I don't want to ride the Hall H Crazy Train that starts in SleepDeprivationville, stops for a extended period in LongBoringWait Town and finishes in the punchy land of I-Haven't-Had-A-Hot-Meal-All-Day-and-I-Have-To-Pee."
Know that there are other plenty of other people at the con who want to attend the same things as you, so fully commit, and this is even more so with the high profile panels. Better to overestimate how long to wait than underestimate. No one at SDCC ever got mad because they got in line too EARLY.
But at some point you're going to need to accept that pretty much anything you want to do, from eating, to panels, to signings, to using the potty, is going to have a line, and you are almost never going to be the first person in it. Whether or not you are the 5th person in line or the 5,000 person is where the real strategy/luck pays off.
Of course, how you deal with being the 5,000th in line is important too. This is when your Human may really need some snuggles. And they should also...
2. Have A Backup Plan
When Hall H fills up, your Human will need something else to do with their time besides be Ticked Off. Of course, they may want to spend some time being Ticked Off (Humans seem to like this from time to time). But the shorter amount of time they spend being Ticked Off, the sooner they can move on to their Plan B. There's plenty to do at the con, so investigate some alternatives and have them at the ready.
3. Be Clean
You'll be meeting people and having your picture taken more than a diva at a Hollywood premiere, so make sure you are up for the occasion. I had my yearly bath recently for my Club 33 trip, so I'm ok, but take a ride in the washing machine, sponge off, spray with Febreze, whatever it takes so you can look your best. Tell your Human to shower every day too. Humans can get grubby.
4. Don't Eat Your Human's Snacks/Drink Their Water
You're probably stuffed in a backpack, like me. And maybe you play with the iPhone, and nap, in between your photography sessions, and it's natural to get peckish. But don't eat your Human's snacks. They need those snacks. If they don't get their snacks, they're more likely to stab a total stranger with a pen over a seat in Hall H.
Speaking of snacks, here are some good ones that don't get too crushed:
--dried fruit (I like apricots)
--nuts
--granola bars/power bars/protein bars
--apples and oranges
--any lunch kits that do not require refridgeration
5. Don't Run Down Your Human's Battery Either
See above. Low battery, the need to Tweet or text, a Ticked Off Human, a pen as a weapon, and next thing you know, the constable's been called and you're in an evidence locker.
6. Bring Some Cards To Give Out
Maybe they are your business cards, or personal "con cards" or in my case, Bunny Cards (I have cards! Ask for one!) but have something so you can exchange information with people, whether you are networking professionally or just making a friend.
7. Be Open-Minded While You Panel-Squat
Some of the best and most memorable times we have ever had at Comic-Con were when we sat through panels that we had literally zero interest in so we could get to the panel we actually cared about. Why? Because we were exposed to something new that we subsequently became a fan of. It's fine to sit at the back and text or tweet, but if you may discover something really cool that you didn't know about before if you pay a little bit of attention.
In 2009, My Humans and I sat through panels with Gerard Way talking about his UMBRELLA ACADEMY series and the now-legendary raucous BOONDOCK SAINTS panel in order to get to the FABLES panel. Takeaway? They bought the Umbrella Academy TPB and rented Boondock Saints and liked them both.
This is reflected wherever you go - the experience is what you make of it. Being friendly and good-natured goes a long way towards contributing to a positive environment at the con.
8. Don't Be Afraid to Tweet the Pros
If you are a fan of any particular artists or writers, tweet them to ask about their SDCC signing schedule.
This is important because there are a lot of signings on the exhibition floor that aren't on the official Comic-Con schedule. Pros can show up at their own behalf or as the guest of a publisher or other vendor, so it can be confusing tracking them down. And there's nothing worse than finding out your favorite comic book writer was at booth A113 all weekend long and you never realized it. So make your own autograph schedule and don't forget to bring materials for them to sign!
9. Create Lists on Twitter and Save Hashtags
This will make it easy to have all the tipsters, comic guests, etc. at a glance. Because you don't need to follow the San Diego Convention center the other 11 months of the year, and you really do need to know how long the lines are for Hall H - whether you are going there or not. I have a handy list below of people/hashtags to follow.
People to Follow on Twitter:
@The_Con_Fluence
@spotanime
@Crazy4ComicCon
@SDCCSurvival
@SD_Comic_Con
@ComicConBlog
@SDConventionCtr
Hashtags to use:
#SDCC
#SDCCtips
#SDCCLines
10. Brevity Is The Soul Of Wit
If you find yourself at the microphone or face to face with a writer, artist, actor or some other creative talent and you're not sure what to say, you can always just go with "I can't tell you what X has meant to me." Because you can't. And maybe you shouldn't. It's easy to get starstruck and tongue-tied, but what's important is that someone created a piece of art that spoke to you, and in the grand scheme of the bizarre thing that is the Human condition, that's something pretty special.
Bonus: And One Thing You Won't Have To Worry About at SDCC:
11. The Weather
Wherever you are coming from, the weather at least is bound to be an improvement: it will be gorgeous sunny, mid-70s temperatures Wednesday-Sunday.
Sites to help:
http://www.comicsreporter.com/index.php/briefings/commentary/38346/
http://crazy4comiccon.wordpress.com/
http://sdccblog.com/
http://sdcc.co/
http://geekfemme.blogspot.com/2010/06/surviving-conventions-list-of-tips.html
In the spirit of Comic-Con, let's all let our geek flags fly!
So What is Comic-Con, Anyways?
Comic-Con in San Diego (also known as SDCC) is the biggest comic, entertainment, gaming and pop-culture festival in America.
It lasts 4.5 days and is the busiest, most exhilarating, most exhausting event with upwards of 130,000+ present.
This is at least our 5th year attending (probably our 6th; no one can quite remember).
It takes up the entire San Diego Convention Center. Like most conventions it has a series of panels and a giant exhibition floor. You can easily spend an entire day wandering the exhibition hall floor. The floor is always packed and takes a long time to get anywhere, so be patient.
There are also offsite events too.
There are an enormous amount of panels. We counted 168 official scheduled panel events on Thursday ALONE. So planning ahead is essential.
Hall H is the biggest single venue, where all the Hollywood studios present their TV and upcoming movie panels. It holds 6,500.
Ballroom 20 is the next largest room, and it holds 4,000+.
The other panel rooms, and there are many, hold varying amounts and attendance can fluctuate wildly throughout the day.
There are many, many ways to experience Comic-Con, and everyone does it differently. But here are 10 tips to help you make it a better experience overall:
1. The Only Currency You Have Is Time
At some cons there is a certain level of of stratification. This stratification directly corresponds to the amount of greenbacks you will have exchanged previously with the aforementioned con. That's not unusual (D23 Expo) and we don't judge (New York Comic Con), but Comic-Con doesn't play that. It really tries to be as equitable as possible, and that means taking "First Come, First Served" to the extreme. If you want to be in the panel for THE WALKING DEAD in Hall H, you need to think about how much time (and for that one think in terms of hours - plural) it is worth to you, because that will be your method of payment.
As Our Girl put it, "Would I like to go to the panel for THE HOBBIT? Sure I would. But I don't want to ride the Hall H Crazy Train that starts in SleepDeprivationville, stops for a extended period in LongBoringWait Town and finishes in the punchy land of I-Haven't-Had-A-Hot-Meal-All-Day-and-I-Have-To-Pee."
Know that there are other plenty of other people at the con who want to attend the same things as you, so fully commit, and this is even more so with the high profile panels. Better to overestimate how long to wait than underestimate. No one at SDCC ever got mad because they got in line too EARLY.
 |
| Me and Felicia Day. Get in line early for her! |
But at some point you're going to need to accept that pretty much anything you want to do, from eating, to panels, to signings, to using the potty, is going to have a line, and you are almost never going to be the first person in it. Whether or not you are the 5th person in line or the 5,000 person is where the real strategy/luck pays off.
Of course, how you deal with being the 5,000th in line is important too. This is when your Human may really need some snuggles. And they should also...
2. Have A Backup Plan
When Hall H fills up, your Human will need something else to do with their time besides be Ticked Off. Of course, they may want to spend some time being Ticked Off (Humans seem to like this from time to time). But the shorter amount of time they spend being Ticked Off, the sooner they can move on to their Plan B. There's plenty to do at the con, so investigate some alternatives and have them at the ready.
3. Be Clean
You'll be meeting people and having your picture taken more than a diva at a Hollywood premiere, so make sure you are up for the occasion. I had my yearly bath recently for my Club 33 trip, so I'm ok, but take a ride in the washing machine, sponge off, spray with Febreze, whatever it takes so you can look your best. Tell your Human to shower every day too. Humans can get grubby.
4. Don't Eat Your Human's Snacks/Drink Their Water
You're probably stuffed in a backpack, like me. And maybe you play with the iPhone, and nap, in between your photography sessions, and it's natural to get peckish. But don't eat your Human's snacks. They need those snacks. If they don't get their snacks, they're more likely to stab a total stranger with a pen over a seat in Hall H.
 |
| Me and @TravelingMocha at SDCC! |
Speaking of snacks, here are some good ones that don't get too crushed:
--dried fruit (I like apricots)
--nuts
--granola bars/power bars/protein bars
--apples and oranges
--any lunch kits that do not require refridgeration
5. Don't Run Down Your Human's Battery Either
See above. Low battery, the need to Tweet or text, a Ticked Off Human, a pen as a weapon, and next thing you know, the constable's been called and you're in an evidence locker.
6. Bring Some Cards To Give Out
Maybe they are your business cards, or personal "con cards" or in my case, Bunny Cards (I have cards! Ask for one!) but have something so you can exchange information with people, whether you are networking professionally or just making a friend.
7. Be Open-Minded While You Panel-Squat
Some of the best and most memorable times we have ever had at Comic-Con were when we sat through panels that we had literally zero interest in so we could get to the panel we actually cared about. Why? Because we were exposed to something new that we subsequently became a fan of. It's fine to sit at the back and text or tweet, but if you may discover something really cool that you didn't know about before if you pay a little bit of attention.
 |
| Me and @Iamthebear at SDCC |
In 2009, My Humans and I sat through panels with Gerard Way talking about his UMBRELLA ACADEMY series and the now-legendary raucous BOONDOCK SAINTS panel in order to get to the FABLES panel. Takeaway? They bought the Umbrella Academy TPB and rented Boondock Saints and liked them both.
This is reflected wherever you go - the experience is what you make of it. Being friendly and good-natured goes a long way towards contributing to a positive environment at the con.
8. Don't Be Afraid to Tweet the Pros
If you are a fan of any particular artists or writers, tweet them to ask about their SDCC signing schedule.
This is important because there are a lot of signings on the exhibition floor that aren't on the official Comic-Con schedule. Pros can show up at their own behalf or as the guest of a publisher or other vendor, so it can be confusing tracking them down. And there's nothing worse than finding out your favorite comic book writer was at booth A113 all weekend long and you never realized it. So make your own autograph schedule and don't forget to bring materials for them to sign!
 |
| The Houghton Boys, creators of Reed Gunther |
9. Create Lists on Twitter and Save Hashtags
This will make it easy to have all the tipsters, comic guests, etc. at a glance. Because you don't need to follow the San Diego Convention center the other 11 months of the year, and you really do need to know how long the lines are for Hall H - whether you are going there or not. I have a handy list below of people/hashtags to follow.
People to Follow on Twitter:
@The_Con_Fluence
@spotanime
@Crazy4ComicCon
@SDCCSurvival
@SD_Comic_Con
@ComicConBlog
@SDConventionCtr
Hashtags to use:
#SDCC
#SDCCtips
#SDCCLines
10. Brevity Is The Soul Of Wit
If you find yourself at the microphone or face to face with a writer, artist, actor or some other creative talent and you're not sure what to say, you can always just go with "I can't tell you what X has meant to me." Because you can't. And maybe you shouldn't. It's easy to get starstruck and tongue-tied, but what's important is that someone created a piece of art that spoke to you, and in the grand scheme of the bizarre thing that is the Human condition, that's something pretty special.
 |
| Me and Babe at the Fables panel |
Bonus: And One Thing You Won't Have To Worry About at SDCC:
11. The Weather
Wherever you are coming from, the weather at least is bound to be an improvement: it will be gorgeous sunny, mid-70s temperatures Wednesday-Sunday.
Sites to help:
http://www.comicsreporter.com/index.php/briefings/commentary/38346/
http://crazy4comiccon.wordpress.com/
http://sdccblog.com/
http://sdcc.co/
http://geekfemme.blogspot.com/2010/06/surviving-conventions-list-of-tips.html
In the spirit of Comic-Con, let's all let our geek flags fly!
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Club 33 and the 1901 Lounge!
We got an AMAZING opportunity! My friend, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit got my Humans and us into Club 33 and the 1901 Lounge!
Club 33: For those of you who may not know, Club 33 is a private, members-only restaurant located in Disneyland. It is the only place that serves alcohol in the park. Club 33 was conceived as a private place where Walt Disney could entertain sponsors and dignitaries, but sadly, he died before it was completed.
Today, you either need to know a member (and there are only around 500) or be a member to get in.
For more information on Club 33:
Unofficial fan site
Mental Floss Article
Disney wiki entry
Most people pass by the very non-descipt door to Club 33 having no idea that it's one of the most exclusive restaurants in the world!
Club 33: For those of you who may not know, Club 33 is a private, members-only restaurant located in Disneyland. It is the only place that serves alcohol in the park. Club 33 was conceived as a private place where Walt Disney could entertain sponsors and dignitaries, but sadly, he died before it was completed.
Today, you either need to know a member (and there are only around 500) or be a member to get in.
For more information on Club 33:
Unofficial fan site
Mental Floss Article
Disney wiki entry
Most people pass by the very non-descipt door to Club 33 having no idea that it's one of the most exclusive restaurants in the world!
 |
| This is the only Club 33 sign |
When you get there, you ring the bell and say your reservation name.
 |
| Reservation name? Pink Bunny. |
Once inside, you can take the French Lift or the stairs.
 |
| French lift is behind me |
The restaurant is very ornately decorated. Our table was right by the window and we could hear the jazz band down below in New Orleans Square. The atmosphere can't be beat.
My Humans have a lot of fine qualities, but they are not photographers. So we did not take a lot of pictures. But this is a nice one, and you can see some of the sketches behind me on the wall:
After our meal we went outside on the balcony:
 |
Me and Gray Rabbit
We made a friend
|
It was a really wonderful trip to Disneyland.
The 1901 Lounge: this is a new private club at Disney California Adventure. It just opened, so we were very lucky to get to experience it. Unlike Club 33, it is not a restaurant per se - it is a swanky cocktail bar that has some food available.
 |
| nondescript sign |
 |
| What would I like to drink? |
It is very beautifully decorated inside, and there are many photographs of Walt Disney and the Imagineers he worked with.
 |
| I found a place on the shelf. Maybe I'll stay! |
 |
| I'll keep Roy Disney's seat warm for him |
 |
| Hello Walt. Nice to meet you |
We had a wonderful day at Disneyland Resort visiting their secret clubs!
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Disney Adventures - Carsland, Buena Vista Street, Parties and More!
°O° As many of you know, we LOVE Disneyland. Some of you may not be aware that there is a second Disney park right next to Disneyland. It's called Disney California Adventure ("DCA" for short) and it opened in 2001.
When Disney California Adventure opened, it was based on California culture and landmarks, and it wasn't very Disney. So people asked, "Where's Mickey?" and "Where's Minnie?" and "Why on earth would the Disney Corporation build a park around the culture and landmarks of California when the majority of visitors to the theme park (to say nothing of the Annual Passholders) are based in California?"
So Disney spent $1 Billion dollars to renovate the park, and re-opened it on Friday, June 15, to jubilant fans and long waits.
BUT, we got to go to the Premiere Party on Wednesday night, and to the Preview Day on Thursday! It was all very exciting.
WEDNESDAY: Premiere Party for Carsland
We arrived at the park on Wednesday evening for the Premiere Party. My Humans were rather peckish, as Humans can be, and they made a beeline for the food when we were let into Carsland, the new Land in DCA.
Carsland is very beautiful at night - all lit up in neon:
There was a band:
And we got free samples of most of the food in Carsland:
We rode Luigi's Flying Tires, which is like being the puck on an air hockey table:
The Humans drank and ate and drank and ate, and then thought it would be a good idea to ride Radiator Springs Racers, the new E-Ticket thrill ride. [Pro-tip: Not a good idea]. But riding Radiator Springs Racers for the first time at night, when you can't see what's coming or where you are going, is incredibly thrilling. Everyone's first ride on Radiator Springs Racers should be at night!
I got my kicks and made a new friend:
And as we were leaving, we got a present:
THURSDAY: DCA Media Day
Thursday the entire Disney California Adventure Park was closed to the public so they could have a Media Day. We didn't get a photo of that sign, but it went something like this:
But we got to go! Just us and a few thousand of our closest friends. And the media.
It was amazing. There was hardly any wait for any rides in the entire park!
Our Girl wore her Oswald the Lucky Rabbit ears that she got at E3 the week before.
They got a lot of attention. Rumor has it that Disney will have these ears at San Diego Comic-Con in a few weeks, so get ready if you want a pair.
We started on the new Buena Vista Street, which has been themed to 1920s Los Angeles. We saw the Five 'n' Dime Band and the Red Car News Boys:
And I also got to hang out with Walt and Mickey:
And I got to drive the Trolley!*
*Note: at no time was a stuffed pink rabbit actually given control of a streetcar in a major theme park
Here are some tips for Buena Vista Street. First of all, they have their own newspaper, The Buena Vista Bugle. Free copies are available along Buena Vista Street! In addition to show and parade times, it is also a great souvenir!
Also, Buena Vista Street has what's called "Streetmosphere" - themed costumed performers in period outfits all along Buena Vista Street that you can engage with. And the Officers have the power to issue you a citation! Our Girl got one for "Infectious Display of Municipal Optimism." Another great (and free!) souvenir!
Then I met Mrs. Incredible!
and I hung out in Merida's meet-and-greet spot. Her movie "Brave" opens Friday, June 22!
We also saw the Minnie's Flygirls show, which we recommend:
When Disney California Adventure opened, it was based on California culture and landmarks, and it wasn't very Disney. So people asked, "Where's Mickey?" and "Where's Minnie?" and "Why on earth would the Disney Corporation build a park around the culture and landmarks of California when the majority of visitors to the theme park (to say nothing of the Annual Passholders) are based in California?"
So Disney spent $1 Billion dollars to renovate the park, and re-opened it on Friday, June 15, to jubilant fans and long waits.
BUT, we got to go to the Premiere Party on Wednesday night, and to the Preview Day on Thursday! It was all very exciting.
WEDNESDAY: Premiere Party for Carsland
We arrived at the park on Wednesday evening for the Premiere Party. My Humans were rather peckish, as Humans can be, and they made a beeline for the food when we were let into Carsland, the new Land in DCA.
 |
| The pie was Me sized! |
There was a band:
And we got free samples of most of the food in Carsland:
We rode Luigi's Flying Tires, which is like being the puck on an air hockey table:
The Humans drank and ate and drank and ate, and then thought it would be a good idea to ride Radiator Springs Racers, the new E-Ticket thrill ride. [Pro-tip: Not a good idea]. But riding Radiator Springs Racers for the first time at night, when you can't see what's coming or where you are going, is incredibly thrilling. Everyone's first ride on Radiator Springs Racers should be at night!
I got my kicks and made a new friend:
And as we were leaving, we got a present:
THURSDAY: DCA Media Day
Thursday the entire Disney California Adventure Park was closed to the public so they could have a Media Day. We didn't get a photo of that sign, but it went something like this:
But we got to go! Just us and a few thousand of our closest friends. And the media.
It was amazing. There was hardly any wait for any rides in the entire park!
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| You won't see this again, ever |
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| Empty park |
Our Girl wore her Oswald the Lucky Rabbit ears that she got at E3 the week before.
We started on the new Buena Vista Street, which has been themed to 1920s Los Angeles. We saw the Five 'n' Dime Band and the Red Car News Boys:
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| Five 'n' Dime |
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| Red Car News Boys |
And I got to drive the Trolley!*
*Note: at no time was a stuffed pink rabbit actually given control of a streetcar in a major theme park
Here are some tips for Buena Vista Street. First of all, they have their own newspaper, The Buena Vista Bugle. Free copies are available along Buena Vista Street! In addition to show and parade times, it is also a great souvenir!
Also, Buena Vista Street has what's called "Streetmosphere" - themed costumed performers in period outfits all along Buena Vista Street that you can engage with. And the Officers have the power to issue you a citation! Our Girl got one for "Infectious Display of Municipal Optimism." Another great (and free!) souvenir!
Then I met Mrs. Incredible!
and I hung out in Merida's meet-and-greet spot. Her movie "Brave" opens Friday, June 22!
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| Find the hidden Pinky! |
We also saw the Minnie's Flygirls show, which we recommend:
And we saw the Pixar's Play Parade. We are not really parade people, but this was pretty cool. There are several floats which shoot water, so we felt especially lucky to be under a big umbrella.
By then, it was time for us to head back to Carsland!
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| Can you find the hidden Pinky? |
We rode Radiator Springs Racers another four times, and lost four times.
Some people shouldn't drag race, I guess.
In the evening, we got to go to another private party! With more free food and liquor!
Humans seemed to feel the food was much better at this party than at the Carsland party.
There was a Big Band playing hits from the 20s and 30s. They were excellent:
As Our Girl said, "It's like Bioshock, before everything turned homicidal."
Down the street from the Big Band was the Mad T Party band playing more contemporary hits. Then it was time for the World of Color Show.
We got light-up Mickey ears as a gift. What we didn't realize was that we were going to be part of the show! The ear colors can be sync'ed with the program - it's called "Glow With the Show":
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| See how our ears are all the same color? |
This YouTube video is from that night and it does a great job of showing how it all works. My Humans can be jaded folks, but this just left them speechless. It was completely amazing:
And after all that - the parties, the food, the rides, the presents - it was time to go home. As Our Girl said, "That was one of the best times I ever had. I wouldn't change a thing.
Except I would wear sunscreen on my feet."
I think that says it for us all.
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| All our stuff from our adventure |
°O°
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