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Disneyland, etc.

Posted: 20 Feb 2012, 02:55
by Jimbo
Just back from Tokyo's Disney Sea, a newer, more adult, now ten year old adjunct to Tokyo Disneyland. While it is hard not to be cynical about the whole corporate cornball shtick we had a great time. They know how to do shit right. I especially like how the sound system is loud and in stereo all over the park and played on the best speakers anywhere. Too bad each song comes from the Disney songbook but still, some pretty good acts have covered Disney. Having done the Indy Jones adventure ride, the Alladin Mystery Theater, Sinbad's Journey, Storm Rider, the loop the loop roller coaster, the spectacular floating sound and light pageant and 10,000 Leagues Under the Sea,the best part of the day for me was waiting on the long lines with my friends and kibbitzing.

Re: Disneyland, etc.

Posted: 20 Feb 2012, 03:26
by sloopjohnc
We went to Disneyland over Thanksgiving. Derek had a great time. We had a great time.

Probably my sixth or seventh time there.

The funny thing is that people get caught with the Disney bug and get all kinds of Disney hats and apparel they'll never wear again (see avatar).

Re: Disneyland, etc.

Posted: 20 Feb 2012, 03:39
by Billybob Dylan
Once. That was enough.

Re: Disneyland, etc.

Posted: 20 Feb 2012, 04:12
by trans-chigley express
Disney are a client of mine so I go to the Hong Kong Disneyland at least twice a week. As a tourist I've been to Hong Kong Disneyland about 10 times (I get free tickets when each new ride I've been working on opens), Tokyo Disneyland twice and Disneysea once (Jimbo's right, it's good fun), and the Californa Disneyland once. Never been to Florida or Paris. So that's at least 14 times. My son has outgrown it so I'm unlikely to go much in the future. Perhaps when I've got grand kids.

Their construction standards are very high - better than other theme parks - I'll give them that, and they are generous and prompt payers so I won't hear a word against them!

Re: Disneyland, etc.

Posted: 20 Feb 2012, 04:37
by Muskrat
I can't say how many times -- several and all at the "original" Disneyland. It's been a while; last time was right after the Indiana Jones ride opened.

I can't see taking young kids to Disneyland; I'd figure that up to, say, ten years old they'd be overwhelmed, get too tired, and not appreciate many of the references anyway. Of course I've never had children.

I have a couple of friends -- married to one another and in their late 30s, maybe -- who have season passes and go several times a month, at least. And that's about an hour from here each way, depending on the traffic. Disney has special events for regulars (well, they're recurring; anybody can join in), and of course there's lots to do in Disneyland and the next-door California Adventure, if you don't mind doing it over and over. They meet friends, and have a great time. I can't imagine...

Re: Disneyland, etc.

Posted: 20 Feb 2012, 06:50
by Jimbo
My first Disneyland was the original in California where it was fortunate we ate marijuana brownies before entering the park for there is nowhere to hide in Disneyland. Bucolic Tom Sawyer's island looked promising but the hedges are trimmed see-thru style. It was on the four man sled in the Matterhorn (Space Mountain) where a joint was sparked in the front seat, It was passed back as we slowly ascended the first hill. It finally reached me in the back seat at the hill's apex but was snatched from my fingers as the sled suddenly flew downwards and poor me didn't get a hit. :cry:

Re: Disneyland, etc.

Posted: 20 Feb 2012, 07:59
by Corporate whore
Once - to the one in California. Too tame for me, give me Cedar Point any day.

Re: Disneyland, etc.

Posted: 20 Feb 2012, 10:08
by Limpin' Jez McKenzie
I love Disneyland. I have been to californina twice, Florida twice, and Eurodisney. There are many things about the slickness of their operation that make me admire and despise them at the same time, but they are in the entertainment industry and man do they do it well. One could argue it is some kind of cultural dumbing down, but one can manage that with exposure to other cultural elements. My little dude is well aware that Disney's version of say Cinderella is just one of many versions.
as for age - I think little dude was 15 months old when he went to Florida, and he loved some of the small rides but mainly loved seeing the characters - we have great pictures of him cuddling Pooh. Then we went to Eurodisney for his third birthday, and again he loved it, as did his two year old friend - and this was in January - pretty cold and rainy.

Re: Disneyland, etc.

Posted: 20 Feb 2012, 12:03
by Deebank
As coincidence (! and this a Jimbo thread!) would have it I am literally this minute back from Disneyland Paris!!!

Yes it's good fun - I worked out that we've been there (the Paris one) about nine times! Nine!!
A friend of mine was a manager there when it opened 20 years ago so we got in free just after it opened first time. We've stayed at every hotel except the Seqoia Lodge.

It's good fun. Cornball Disney bollocks - as jimbo nearly put it - asside, but it has gotten even more expensive. Our first meal in the park this time (a bad decision and one I did in no way endorse) was 50 Euros for a couple of hot dogs and couple of chicken nuggets and three fries plus a couple of bottles of water and two Coke lites. And the Paris one is starting to look a bit foxed and tatty, perhapps it's the time of year, quite a few bits of it were closed off for renovation which is a bit of a chiz.

New rides this time though... A turtle from Finding Nemo spinning round in the dark roller coaster, which was fun, and the Twilight Zone Hollywood Tower of Terror thing which was also worth a go.

We were on the shitty Pinnochio ride and it broke down so we got a free 'in through the out door' pass on to the turtle ride, which was nice.

The kids loved it too of course.

Re: Disneyland, etc.

Posted: 20 Feb 2012, 13:02
by harvey k-tel
I was 6 when we went to visit my Grandparents at their retirement cottage in Azusa, and my folks took me and my sister to Disneyland and, oh, what was the other one, with the Jaws and the falling foam rocks? Paramount Studios? My memories are pretty vague, and they're more centered around lizards, lemons and avocado trees, although I know I got a pair of Mickey ears.

Re: Disneyland, etc.

Posted: 20 Feb 2012, 13:13
by sensi
I've never been...only one of my lads like rides and our Andrew used to freak out at at anything dressed up like the Disney characters are over there...it would have been great for our Martyn but Andrew would have spent the whole time screaming and I couldn't have taken one without the other.

Re: Disneyland, etc.

Posted: 20 Feb 2012, 13:14
by Polishgirl
Harvey K-Tel wrote: I got a pair of Mickey ears.



Don't be hard on yourself - your ears don't look THAT big....

Re: Disneyland, etc.

Posted: 20 Feb 2012, 13:16
by Polishgirl
I've not been either, but like the idea of taking my appalling nieces to Eurodisney.

Which makes me think about the Eddie Izzard routine he did on stage in America, where he fantasizes that the builders of Eurodisney were told: "You'll have to make the castle bigger; they've actually got them over here"...

Re: Disneyland, etc.

Posted: 20 Feb 2012, 13:54
by wilson
In 1983 I went to the California one. I still have a picture of Frankenstein's monster with his arm around me. I look pretty miserable as I was love-sick at the time.

I have no use for Disney, but then again, I don't have kids. My wife adores the place, the whole idea. The other night on the couch we were watching 24, and I asked her what she thought the latest terrorist threat would be. We'd had viruses, assassinations, a nuclear bomb, what could the new threat be in that box they were about to open? And she replied, "Walt Disney's head."

About ten minutes later when I had stopped laughing, she explained that it had something to do with her and her sister imagining how they could bring old Walt back by transplanting his head onto some other body. Something like that.

Carry on.

Re: Disneyland, etc.

Posted: 20 Feb 2012, 14:50
by Jimbo
wilson wrote:they could bring old Walt back by transplanting his head onto some other body.


You don't know about that? I believe it. :?

Re: Disneyland, etc.

Posted: 20 Feb 2012, 14:53
by Deebank
Jimbo2 wrote:
wilson wrote:they could bring old Walt back by transplanting his head onto some other body.


You don't know about that? I believe it. :?


Old Walt's noggin is up there in the highest tower of Sleeping Beauty's castle all right....

Re: Disneyland, etc.

Posted: 20 Feb 2012, 14:56
by Jimbo
Deebank wrote:
Jimbo2 wrote: Sleeping Beauty's castle....


Mickey's Cryogenic Chamber.

Re: Disneyland, etc.

Posted: 20 Feb 2012, 15:34
by sloopjohnc
sensi wrote:I've never been...only one of my lads like rides and our Andrew used to freak out at at anything dressed up like the Disney characters are over there...it would have been great for our Martyn but Andrew would have spent the whole time screaming and I couldn't have taken one without the other.


We took my daughter when she was 5 or 6 and it was a big waste of money. She got scared on the dark rides like Pirates of the Caribbean and didn't want to go on any rollercoasters. I think we rode the magic teacups and went to Toontown and the Jungle Cruise and that was about it.

It was then I vowed to train them to ride rollercoasters and they both love 'em. Luckily, both kids were tall early so they got on younger. The first time I took Devon on the Giant Dipper (pictured below) in Santa Cruz, she said, "Let's go again," through her tears. I won't go on some of the ones Devon likes at a nearby amusement park.

Image

Derek had just turned 9 when we took him in November. He loved it except he thought the rollercoasters were kinda tame compared to Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk where we usually go during the summer.

My wife went on two rollercoasters, the Matterhorn and some mine ride rollercoaster. The three of us, Devon, Derek and me, got off the mine ride, quickly complaining it wasn't fast or scary enough, pausing only long enough to see the kids' mother and my wife throwing up in the bushes.

A couple days Derek woke me up at 7 am and we spent the whole day at Disneyland and California Adventure, 8 am to Midnight. One of the nights, I had to bow out early and take the shuttle home at 10pm.

It makes for a long day.

Re: Disneyland, etc.

Posted: 20 Feb 2012, 15:45
by Tapiocahead
I've never been. I wouldn't object to taking the kids I suppose but it's a lot of money.
So for time being we'll stick to Ponderosa at Heckmondwike,

Re: Disneyland, etc.

Posted: 20 Feb 2012, 15:48
by Deebank
Obviously this was playing in my head the whole time...



:)