DISNEY FIX: FANTASMIC! GLOW WITH THE SHOW

Disneyland recently held another Annual Passholder exclusive event recently featuring their Glow Ears, this time focusing on their long-running Fantasmic show. The event delivered as promised and that was fine by me. It just seemed like corners were being cut with the whole event.Glow ears were not given out this time unlike the previous Glow With The Show event. I was going to justify this move by saying that those glow ears can add up in price, but Disney would be giving the ears to the same Annual Passholders that renewed despite the 30% price hike. :)  Another thing that was different was that it was only held one time and it was on a Tuesday night. The previous event was spread throughout three days and included the weekend. Complaining aside, Disney could have just as easily announced that the ears will work with this show and not hold an exclusive event, so with that I am still thankful. :)

Here are some of the food offerings for the night:

This was only offered at the Blue Bayou so I couldn’t get a picture of it, but reading the description alone makes me hungry already!

The event started at 11:30PM, but you had to arrive early to get a decent spot. The concrete was extremely hot, making the wait unpleasant, but we did get a nice view of the fireworks from the Rivers of America. They also play the show music through the speakers out here, so it’s worth a look if you haven’t seen it from this side before:

Here are some views of the crowd before the show looking from the Haunted Mansion side of the River:

This shot is from the opposite side by Big Thunder Mountain:

I was secretly hoping that every single person would have their ears with them, but there were a handful of people there that didn’t have them or forgot them. In addition, the audience for Fantasmic is not as large as World of Color’s so already the number of ears in the audience was considerably less. Here is a shot of the audience right before the lights were turned down:

Despite all my skepticism, the show still delivered. The Glow Ears are meant to be an enhancement to the show, and they did that perfectly, flashing on and off only at certain parts of the show.

The ears were still lit up after the show was over giving the passholders a view of all the ears working, just in case they couldn’t see it during the show:

Overall, I thought the ears were a nice addition to the show. It also gives the people that are seated towards the back something nice to look at in addition to the show itself. Hopefully adding more shows that are enhanced with these Glow With the Show ears will add to their popularity and in turn, more of the audience will have them at each performance. It truly is a sight to see when every single person in the audience has these ears, and I hope you all get to experience it on your next visit!

See you next time!

Glowin’ Tommy

Visiting Disneyland and want the perfect hotel for your family? Look no further than TripAdvisor’s #1 Anaheim hotel for families, the Howard Johnson Hotel and Water Playground! 2012 award winner in the category “Best Large Hotels and Resorts for Families in the United States - 2012”

GASTRO ADVENTURES: PIZZA PRESS

Being a huge pizza fan, I was pretty excited when The Pizza Press opened right down the street from our hotel, just a few minutes by foot. I decided to drop by for a quick visit, and now I’m hooked! The concept is a pretty unique one, where each person orders a personal pizza made to order. They have different “editions” named after different newspapers, but you can add all the toppings you want and it will still be the same price.Here’s a picture of the menu:

As far as the actual restaurant goes, there aren’t that many tables and parking is non-existent, so I’m guessing most of their customers will be guests from the surrounding hotels like the HoJo. They themed the restaurant to look like a 1920’s era newspaper press. Even the employees have suspenders and berets, which is a nice touch considering the popularity of Buena Vista Street just a few minutes away.

The trash can might confuse some. :)

After your pizza is assembled, it goes through this oven. On a side note, this place used to be a Quizno’s so I wouldn’t be surprised if this is the same oven they used to make their sandwiches. I’m not sure if they had the settings figured out when I went there, because they had to run it through the conveyor belt a couple of times. The pizza still tasted great so it didn’t really matter.

Here’s my current favorite, “The Times”. Chicken, Mozzarella, Gouda, Barbecue Sauce and Cilantro minus the Red onions and Tomatoes - but that’s just me:

My friend ordered “The Chronicle” which has Mozarella, Artichoke Hearts, Tomatoes, Red Onions, Mushroom, Peppers, and Pesto Sauce. He asked for extra Pesto if you couldn’t tell ;)

They also have some local beers on tap from Anaheim Brewery. I didn’t get to try it out because I went on my lunch break and that wouldn’t be very responsible, now would it? :) Next time I’m not working, I will give it a try though:

The Pizza Press is located at 1534 S. Harbor Blvd, Anaheim, CA and they are open until 1AM! With Disneyland closing at midnight during the summer, they’re bound to get a lot of tired theme park guests looking for a good bite to eat - or an alcoholic beverage to drink!

See you guys next time!

Tommy the “Newsie”

Visiting Disneyland and want the perfect hotel for your family? Look no further than TripAdvisor’s #1 Anaheim hotel for families, the Howard Johnson Hotel and Water Playground! 2012 award winner in the category “Best Large Hotels and Resorts for Families in the United States - 2012”

GASTRO ADVENTURES: UMAMI BURGER

Let’s take a little break from the Parks, shall we? I recently visited Umami Burger’s newest location in Downtown Anaheim, which opened just last week. The word “Umami” is Japanese for savory, which is how they describe all their burgers. There have been many rave reviews about this place but most of their locations are in Los Angeles and I didn’t feel like going all the way out there to get a burger. Since this one was a short 5 minute drive from the hotel, I decided to drop by. 

The restaurant has a really nice atmosphere about it. Umami Burger is located in the Packard Building, named after the car dealership that used to be there many moons ago.

Our server told us a great story about the light fixtures and the designs on the wall. During construction, the workers digging under the building found a stash of old license plates. Instead of throwing them away, the owner decided to use these plates to create some unique pieces that you see below. They already looked cool at first, but knowing the history behind them makes it that much more special.

The ceiling has distressed wood beams that add some character to the place:

You can also dine outside next to the fireplace:

Here are some shots of the menu:

First, the bad part: the burgers are on the pricey side and they do not have a kid’s menu, so the little ones will have to order off the regular menu or possibly go to another burger joint down the street. Also, they can’t change anything off the menu. Each burger is made one way and one way only. A friend of mine just wanted meat, cheese and pickles and they would not do it. Is this not a burger joint? On top of that, the beer wasn’t that cold and the servers brought us the wrong order. So, why would I still bother to tell you guys about this place you ask? Two words: Truffle Burger. We’ll get to that in just a second. First, let’s start with the appetizers. We ordered Smushed Potatoes, which was pretty tasty and the sauce it came with complemented the burgers.

Their signature burger, The Umami Burger, got mixed reviews with my table. Some loved it, others just said it was ok. The parmesan cheese that they put on the burger was first cooked into a thin,crispy wafer that added a unique texture to the burger.

The Ahi Tuna Burger needed a little more wasabi sauce, so ask for extra Wasabi sauce on the side.

Now for the saving grace of my visit, the Truffle Burger! This burger melts in your mouth and it’s so juicy, you have to be careful not to get any on your clothes. This burger alone is worth a repeat visit. My palate is not that refined as to completely describe the experience but let me just say it was absolutely delicious and you have to try it! It looks pretty simple but don’t let it fool you. Their home-made truffle cheese and the aioli spread is simply amazing. I get hungry every time I look at this picture. :)

Despite its shortcomings, I would still come back to this place. I admire the dedication of the restaurant to have all the ingredients, sauces, and buns to be all made in-house. You can definitely tell the difference in how fresh all the ingredients taste. Umami wouldn’t be an everyday treat for most - since it is a little on the pricey side - but if a gourmet burger is what you’re in the mood for, Umami is surely worth a try.

More public reviews here on YELP.

See ya next time!
Umami Tommy

Visiting Disneyland and want the perfect hotel for your family? Look no further than TripAdvisor’s #1 Anaheim hotel for families, the Howard Johnson Hotel and Water Playground! 2012 award winner in the category “Best Large Hotels and Resorts for Families in the United States - 2012”

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: MATER’S JUNKYARD JAMBOREE

There has been so much to write about, I wasn’t sure where to begin! Continuing with our Cars Land coverage, let’s have a look at Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree.The main theme that will keep coming up in these pictures is the vast amount of detail that went in to each part of the land. There are so many things that the casual observer will not see, but Disney put it there anyway just to add to the magic of the place. Let’s take a look at my second favorite attraction in Cars Land, Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree!

Your baby tractor will seat 2 comfortably but can max out at 3 if you and your ride buddies know each other very well. :) At first, I was a little hesitant to ride because I get sick on spinning rides but you really don’t go in circles at all but you transfer between three spinning turntables while going side to side. It doesn’t look like that much fun when looking at the ride from the queue, but I’m pretty sure everyone will leave grinning from ear to ear!

Waiting in line is something that can’t be avoided, but when the queue is as detailed as the ones they have in Cars Land, time can go by pretty quickly. Here are some shots of all the “junk” in Mater’s yard:

Fans of the Cars franchise and all its spinoffs will recognize a lot of the signs:

Everywhere you look, there is a detail that makes the place look more and more believable:

Hidden Mickey anyone? Not sure if there are anymore on this attraction, but if you see any let me know!

Even the stanchions holding up the chains are themed!

This isn’t as noticeable during the daytime, but this is Mater’s Jukebox:

Again, I couldn’t recommend Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree more! The wait times hover around 30-50 minutes so it’s not nearly as long as Radiator Springs Racers, so make sure you stop by on your next visit!

‘Til Next time!

Towin’ Tommy

Visiting Disneyland and need the perfect hotel for your family? Look no further than TripAdvisor’s #1 Anaheim hotel in the category “Best Large Hotels and Resorts for Families in the United States - 2012”, the Howard Johnson Hotel and Water Playground!

DISNEYLAND NEWS: GLOW WITH THE SHOW!

Disney held another after-hours Annual Passholder event this past weekend. This time they featured DCA’s ”World of Color”. Days before the event, the stores at California Adventure started selling Mickey Ear hats that had lights in them for $25, which is about $10 more than plain ears. I wasn’t sure how these would catch on and how many people would want to buy them just to enhance their World of Color experience. When the announcment came that Annual Passholders who register for the free event will receive a free set of ears, I figured the price was right to at least give it a shot. :)Disney wanted to see how the show would look like if every single person in the audience was wearing the ears, and it was a generous of them to open it up to passholders and give them free ears. It almost made people forget that they hiked up the ticket prices…almost. :) I must say that the show with the ears is an amazing experience. I’m glad that I’ve seen World of Color plenty of times so I can take in the added experience of the ears on their own because honestly, that was the only thing I was looking at when the show started. I’m sure after this weekend, more and more people will buy and wear the ears to this show because of how it takes an already great show to another level. Here is a picture of the viewing area near Little Mermaid before the show started:

This view is from the bridge, my personal favorite view if you’re just there to watch the ears :)

When the show started, my jaw dropped at how amazing the show was! I was expecting the ears to do a simple on/off program with the music, but it was even better than that! It’s hard to tell from the pictures but the ear hats were lighting up in sequences that had had the audience in awe trying to figure out, “How did they do that?”

There were some parts of the show where ears had different colors on at the same time:

The glow ears are meant to be an enhancement to the show and not the show itself, so there are also parts where the lights were not on:

For the show’s Wall-E segment, the lights made the audience look like stars out in space. Only a certain number of hats were on and of those hats, only one ear was lit, showing the degree of control they had with these lights

Here are some more shots of the audience

Even the new Brave segment got the light treatment

On the way out, everyone was funneled out through the same route and the ears were still glowing

Speaking to a Cast Member, it turns out that these aren’t powered entirely by pixie dust. They also have radio transmitters above the seating area that send out the appropriate signals to each hat, which partly explains all those cool effects they can do. They also have these transmitters all throughout the park, so the ears are able to interact with other areas in the park! Here are some of the spots I’ve seen for myself: At the Cozy Cone Motel, each ear blinks orange similar to turn signals. Over at Luigi’s the ears alternate colors between red, white, and green like the Italian flag. Finally, at the Mad T Party, the ear hats sync with the White Rabbit DJ’s music! What’s even better is that they shut off automatically when the ears are inside a dark ride. The possibilities are endless and there rumors about adding this element to Fantasmic or the Fireworks! How cool would that be? In any case, the Glow With The Show event was a big hit for me, and I’m sure that many Passholders will agree. Here’s a little bonus for everyone still reading this article. Below I have a short clip of the coolest segment of the whole show in my humble opinion, which was the Aladdin part.

Enjoy and see you next time!

Tommy

Visiting Disneyland and need the perfect hotel for your family? Look no further than TripAdvisor’s #1 Anaheim hotel in the category “Best Large Hotels and Resorts for Families in the United States - 2012”, the Howard Johnson Hotel and Water Playground!

DISNEYLAND NEWS: DRIVE THRU…CARS LAND!

It has been such an exciting time to be a Disney fan these past couple of weeks! I cannot believe how lucky I am to have the opportunity to share my experiences with you all! There is a whole lot to cover, as you may all know so I’ll spread the wealth over the next couple of weeks so as not to overwhelm you. This will be the “Drive Thru” version. :) Over the next couple of posts, I’ll cover the attractions more in-depth.

Cars Land officially opened its doors on June 15, 2012, but a lucky few got a chance to experience it before it opened to the public. Being an avid Disneyland fan, I’ve looked at almost every photo that was put up on the internet on Cars Land before I had my chance to attend a preview. I must say, the pictures I saw and these pictures that you’re about to see, do not do it any justice. You will not believe your eyes when you experience Cars Land for yourself. The amount of detail on the massive rock formations all the way down to the plants made out of car tail lights transport you right into the movie. I was immersed deeper and deeper in the story that the Imagineers were telling with every step I took down Route 66. Here’s just one of the signs greeting guests as they enter Radiator Springs. The detail is just amazing!

There are three entrances into Cars Land: The main entrance by the winery which takes you down Route 66, A side entrance by Bugs Land, and the entrance by the Pacific Wharf area. Out of these three, I would definitely recommend the entrance by the Pacific Wharf. It really is quite a sight. When I entered Cars Land from that area, I took several pictures with every step I took.

It’s real easy to forget that you are in a theme park in Anaheim, California just by looking at these pictures

Walking through here alone can be a great experience unto itself, but there are also 3 food stops, 3 shops, and 3 attractions to see!

Here’s a view of Route 66 as you enter from the Winery:

To your right is Fillmore’s Taste-In. It’s a glorified fruit cart and that sells more healthy food options, so it’s a great alternative for guests trying to watch what they eat.

Across From Fillmore’s is Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree. It looks like something just for kids, but I enjoyed it a lot. Don’t miss this one! Mater sings songs and that alone is worth waiting in line for =)

The first place you’ll have a chance to spend some money is Sarge’s Surplus Hut. This place focuses more on toys for the little ones. Here’s a picture of the exterior:

Your next stop along the Route is the Cozy Cone Motel. Each cone serves a specific type of food ranging from churro bites, chilli, and ice cream, so make sure you’re in the right line. With 5 different cones and plenty of hungry guests, the lines may get cone-fusing ;)

The next store is Radiator Springs Curios. This location focuses on Trading Pins and Vinylmations:

So much detail on the exterior!

The only restaurant in Radiator Springs is Flo’s V8 Cafe, serving bigger entrees like pot roast. (Ignore the umbrellas, they were there just for Media Day)

Not a bad view, huh?

Then there is Ramone’s House of Body Art, which primarilly sells clothes:

Next stop is Luigi’s Flying Tires based on the old Flying Saucer ride in Disneyland:

Again, you can’t help but admire the detail that went into creating this place! The mountain range in the back is not as far or as tall as it seems, but with some visual magic, the Imagineers make you feel like these massive rock structures miles away!

Here’s a statue of Stanley, the founder of Radiator Springs:

And of course, there is the Main Event: Radiator Springs Racers! The wait times since opening day have been as much as 6 hours but the queue has plenty of details to keep guests occupied.

One of the highlights of the outdoor portion is getting up close to this beautiful waterfall:

Here are Luigi and Guido cheering you on right before your race:

Radiator Springs Racers has two distinct parts to it: the slow portion where you drive through Radiator Springs, and the Race portion, where you go up against another car as you speed through the desert. Both parts can probably stand alone as their own attraction, but when you put them together, it may well be the best thing that the Disneyland Resort has to offer. Thanks again for stopping by and check back often! There are a lot more pictures coming!

Vroom,

Towin’ Tommy

Visiting Disneyland and need the perfect hotel for your family? Look no further than TripAdvisor’s #1 Anaheim hotel in the category “Best Large Hotels and Resorts for Families in the United States - 2012”, the Howard Johnson Hotel and Water Playground!

DISNEYLAND NEWS: GOIN’ MAD!

Confession time: I was pretty sad when ElecTRONica shut down and was not completely sold on the Mad T Party concept. However, after attending the soft opening of Disney California Adventure’s new night time dance party, I was instantly hooked!

The Mad T Party seems to have a much broader appeal than its predecessor. There is an unmistakable party atmosphere with the decor and all the show elements Disney included. Your journey to the Mad T Party begins down The Rabbit Hole. This portal sprays a gentle mist on guests as they walk by. I’m sure this mist is fine during warm summer nights, but the walkway gets very slippery. I hope they make some adjustments come June 15:

You are greeted by Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, who are much nicer than they look:

There is a Band that performs on the Main Stage throughout the night, and each band member is based on a character from the movie. The music selection is a mix of 70s, 80s, and 90s hits, which always goes over well with the crowd. The lead singer is, of course, the Mad Hatter:

Alice makes an appearance as well:

After the band does their set, The White Rabbit DJ takes the stage and plays more current dance tracks. It looks like they are using the same DJs as they did for ElecTRONica, which is a relief, because they were all great!

It wouldn’t be a Tea Party without drinks right?

There are nice souvenir cups available for purchase:

Here is the Drink Menu:

At the other end of the T Party is the House of Cards Stage:

There were flamingos walking around the party:

One of the most memorable performances of the night has to be this slinky thing. I’m not quite sure what to think of it, but you have to see this thing in action. It’s different to say the least, but it seems to fit right in here:

Behind the Stage is the Mad Arcade:

The games are all Alice themed, and it gives guests even more to do during the Mad T Party:

All this dancing and walking around can get tiring, so it was a good thing they had furniture to sit on. :)

My overall impression of the Mad T Party was positive. There might be some little things they have to iron out before the grand opening, but it’s definitely worth going to. With Cars Land set to attract the majority of park guests this summer, the Mad T Party should be a nice escape from the 2-3 hour lines in Radiator Springs.

See you down the Rabbit Hole!

Tommy

Visiting Disneyland and need the perfect hotel for your family? Look no further than TripAdvisor’s #1 Anaheim hotel in the category “Best Large Hotels and Resorts for Families in the United States - 2012”, the Howard Johnson Hotel and Water Playground!

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: MICECHAT.COM’S GUMBALL RALLY

MiceChat.com’s 6th annual Gumball Rally was held on May 19, 2012, and although I did not get to participate in the event this year, I did manage to sample the food and take in some of the festivities of the after-party! :)What’s the Gumball Rally you ask? Teams of two to five people attempt to ride as many rides within Disneyland as possible during set hours in one day. Awards are given for team spirit, costume/logos, and of course the main prize is for the team that rode the most rides. It’s a wonderful tradition and the event sells out each year. Over 500 people from all over the country come in for the chance to compete and enjoy each other’s company. Howard Johnson Hotel and Water Playground is the official sponsor of the Gumball Rally and hosts the awards ceremony each year at Castaway Cove.

Front Porch Pops was present with their delicious handmade pops. The cart was small, but it managed to serve plenty of hungry and tired participants:

Bacon Mania was there as well, and it’s safe to say they were quite popular. I was lucky enough to arrive early before the lines got long:

Here’s the Menu for Bacon Mania…It took a lot of self-control not to order one of everything!

Mac-N-Bacon Fries:

Mac-N-Cheese wrapped in bacon:

The All-American Sliders were my favorite. The sliced Green Apple added a nice bit of flavor that complemented the bacon and the beef really well:

The main event was held at Castaway Cove:

Here are some early arrivals taking advantage of our nice jacuzzi:

This is what everyone was fighting for…and by fight, I mean getting on as many attractions as possible in the Happiest Place on Earth. :)

The head of MiceChat.com and the amazing MC for the evening, Todd:

I’m pretty sure every seat was filled by the end of the night:

Congratulations to MiceChat.com and to all the teams for a successful Rally.

See you all next year!

Tommy

For more information on MiceChat.com and the Gumball Rally click here.

Visiting Disneyland and need the perfect hotel for your family? Look no further than TripAdvisor’s #1 Anaheim hotel in the category “Best Large Hotels and Resorts for Families in the United States - 2012”, the Howard Johnson Hotel and Water Playground!

INNSIDE SCOOP: CARS LAND MERCHANDISE PREVIEW!

Just in case you didn’t know, Cars Land will be opening to the general public on June 15. In the mean time, Annual Passholders who can’t wait until then to start spending money on Cars Land Merchandise (this guy) had a chance to do so during the Merchandise Preview event ;).

The event was held in Stage 17 in the Hollywood Pictures Backlot in DCA and you had to show your Annual Pass along with a picture ID to enter.

There is a small display outside that shows the majority of the merchandise available for purchase.

It looked like Disney expected a lot of people by the amount of empty space they had inside. There were also plenty of cashiers to help out guests with their purchases.

Here is a preview of the costumes for Buena Vista Street:

After ElecTRONica powers down, The Mad T Party will take its place. There was a small section that showcased the costumes and merchandise as well, but none were available for purchase.

They did have some samples of the special food and drink items that will be available at the Mad T Party including Dill-Flavored Popcorn (?) and Cotton Candy-flavored and Granny Apple-flavored frozen drinks. I wasn’t a big fan of the popcorn, but the Cotton Candy drink was pretty good.

Heres a picture of the costumes for Cars Land:

Lightning McQueen and Mater were available for a photo op

And now for the Cars Land and California Adventure merchandise!

One last look at the preview area

That will do it for this update. Thanks for stopping by and see you at DCA & CARS LAND!

Cheers,
Tom-Mater

DISNEY FIX: BLUE SKY CELLAR - CARS LAND!

Its been years in the making, but the date for the official opening of Cars Land has been set for June 15, 2012! Ride testing is already taking place to make sure everything is ready for the big day. Over at the Blue Sky Cellar Preview Center, they have changed their displays to focus on Cars Land just in case you’re like me and just can’t wait that long!



Inside the center, they have plenty of concept art and blueprints to look at so you can follow the Imagineers’ creative process from the very beginning. It makes it that more special when you see it completed, which is why I love visiting this place!


There is also a scale model of Cars Land at the center of the room, where you can get a bird’s-eye view of how massive this expansion is. The main attraction, Radiator Springs Racers, takes up half of Cars Land!


While you’re there, make sure to take time to watch the video that plays in the theater. Its much longer than any other video I’ve seen them play there, but it’s well worth it. John Lasseter and his team talk about their journey into making Cars Land a reality. At the opposite end of the theater is the shovel that was used for breaking ground, signed by the team.

As of now, there is no word of any early previews for Passholders yet, but if they have one and I get selected, you can bet I will have pictures for you all. Until then, June 15 is circled on my calendar! See you all at the Parks!

.

Tommy

*Planning a stay near the Disneyland Resort? Make the Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel at Disneyland your home base for RETRO FAMILY FUN! Visit our website for the famous MATTERCAM, videos, and more information on this piece of Anaheim history!