OK. It's been a couple years since we were last at the Disneyland Resort, but Jason's parents decided to take us as a sort of birthday present. And hey. There are a couple things they've added since our last visit. So we've got some new stuff to explore and catch up on on this visit. =)
OK. Last visit, we bypassed the parking structure and staying in a hotel in Anaheim and walking from there. And the last time before that where we parked was in Christmas 2017. nearly 8 years ago. And....they've clearly exzpanded in that time.
Hello Pixar Ball statue.
This flower may not be able to sing like all the ones from "Alice in Wonderland", but hey. At least it can spit water up into the air.
Oh no! Lego Malificent is attacking Disneyland!
All right. Time to check out Disneyland (unfortunately, no California Adventure this year).
Time to check out some Disney magic. =)
Walking down Main Street, and......yeah. The castle is still tiny.
Unfortunately, Matterhorn is closed on this visit. BOO!!! LAME!!!
No worries. We're just passing through. Our real first stop is....Toontown?
Yep. Time to finally check out Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway! This is something I've REALLY been looking foreward to riding. And needless to say, it did NOT dissapoint. =D
Love these fake movie posters in line (Somehow, I think I might actually tolerate High School Musical if it was with Max, Roxanne, and the other Goofy Movie characters. At least I like them, unlike everyone actually in the High School Musical movies).
I know you're a huge fan of this one, given how much you love Hocus Pocus.
Ditto for Fun and Fancy Free.
So Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway is a trackless dark ride that utilizes the Japanese Pooh technology (about damn time they brought this technology in America), and.....this ride is GREAT!!!
So the basic premise of the ride is you're watching a modern Mickey cartoon, something along the lines of "The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse" (If you haven't seen that, I HIGHLY recommend it. It's smart, funny, well written, full of cameos and easter eggs, and Mickey for once, doesn't feel like a Mary-Sue character. Two thumbs up), only you then get sucked into the cartoon, and ride the action. I absolutely love the story and movement. Honestly, even more than Japanese Pooh. And I really LOVE that ride.
So glad they have this both here and at WDW (rode it there as well. Florida WDW update coming soon). And spoiler alert. This is making the Top 10 Dark Rides list.
Why yes. I would like the gay cake for dessert. Thank you for being so thoughtful.
Aww. Family photo with Jason's family.
Just chilling on the Columbia ship since....this is more of the speed of Jason's parents.
It's cool just checking out all the stuff that we tend to neglect at Disneyland.
Oh dear. It appears that Disneyland's got a beaver problem. They better do something about that.
Guys, I think Big Thunder Mountain is closed today! Bummer! =(
I know I'm not a big fan of the Tiana changes (more on that soon), but the resteraunt, Tiana's Place looks REALLY good.
OK. Time for the spooky classic in Haunted Mansion.
Why is there a buffet for the ghosts? Can ghosts even eat?
This ride may not be the least bit scary, but it's still a ton of fun.
Heading into Critter Coun...Bayou Country?
Yep. Time to actually ride Tiana's Bayou Adventure. I know I complained a lot about the change during my Splash Mountain Rant/Essay, and....yeah. My expectations were pretty low for this ride.
Speaking of my Splash Mountain Rant/Essay, I stand by that 100%, Only missed one argument that I should've made then, that I'll just throw in now (Consider this to be a late add-on to the original Splash Mountain Rant/Essay).
For all those arguing Splash Mountain was ALWAYS offensive and horrible and not just declared so in 2020 by Disney cause they wanted it erased for a while and cynically cashed in on the George Floyd protests to convince people Splash Mountain was horrible so they could get rid of it and further erase Song of the South (which I talk about in the initial rant/essay). But guess who gave Splash Mountain a green light and seal of approval?
The NAACP. I am not f*cking joking. The NAACP (who also protested Song of the South for being racist BTW) worked with the leading imagineers in the 80s to ensure that the ride wasn't racist and gave it their thumbs up. Just thought the people crying how it always was horrible and awful should know that. ;)
The good news. This was unquestionably better than I expected it to be. The bad news is that it still isn't nearly as good as Splash Mountain before it.
I know I was hating it after seeing the official POV and hearing the elevator pitch. But there are some positives to this ride.
I LOVE this little detail. I know it's just a virtue signal and Disney will never actually enact on worker-owned co-ops in their company (the share-holders would NOT allow that. And they had to have their arm twisted by Bernie Sanders and Ro Khanna before they even paid their employees a living wage), but I'm flattered they're even willing to pander to me in this way at all. =)
Another positive aspect worth praising. The animatronics are really good. Particuarly this one with Tiana. With my fear of Disney being too reliant on screens in the past, I'm happy they have some great animatronics here (not to say Tiana's Bayou Adventure is screen-free). =)
OK. I do want to clap back against some counter-arguments people made not to me specifically, but just to people who made similar arguments to me.
"Stop crying about Splash Mountain! You can still ride it in Japan at Tokyo Disneyland! So stop bitching and just go there!"
A: I ACKNOWLEDGED THIS AND PRAISED TOKYO DISNEYLAND FOR THIS!!! (Though to be fair, they weren't talking to me. They were talking to other people arguing for Splash Mountain)
B: Gladly! I will GLADLY go back to Tokyo Disneyland. Was gonna return anyways. Now I have yet another reason to do so. You people act like having to visit Tokyo Disney is some sort of punishment, when its not.
C: Japan doing the right thing does NOT mean this was the right call, and all the arguments I made do still apply.
"Your argument about how you feel like Tiana deserves something better than Tiana's Bayou Adventure is bullsh*t! You don't really mean that! You just hate it because you're a deplorable racist MAGAt who hates it for being "woke" and are too cowardly to just say that!"
While this wasn't said to me, I did UNIRONICALLY see some asshole argue this! And.....FUCK YOU!!! (No censors for the strongest anger) I have no way to argue that I GENUINELY mean that. It's impossible to prove that, and asshole wokescolds like that would NEVER believe me, no matter what I say. All I can do is hope that most people are reasonable and won't strawman my arguments, even if they disagree. Clearly that is too much to ask for.
*Sigh* Is it true that there are awful deplorable people who don't actually care about Splash Mountain, and only are upset because Tiana's Bayou Adventure is woke, and they like the fact that Song of the South is racist? Unfortunately, yes. Those people are real. And they are horrible, awful, deplorable, etc. And I do condemn them and their beliefs. They may share my surface belief that Splash Mountain > Tiana's Bayou Adventure, but that is where the similarities end. We are NOT the same. Their reasons are horrible, and they have further proven themselves to be garbage in so many ways.
It's especially infuriating that Splash Mountain vs Tiana's Bayou Adventure has devolved into a standard culture war debate, ESPECIALLY the political sides assigned to both "sides" of the debate, when it's perfectly clear that my stance on Splash Mtn vs Tiana is antithetical to my larger political beliefs, which don't "fit" the side I'm supposed to be on. Because DAMN NEAR EVERY SINGLE PERSON HAS BEEN F*CKING WRONG IN THIS DEBATE, REGARDLESS OF THEIR SIDE!!!
Also, I find it amusing that not a SINGLE Splash Mtn hater can answer to either of my arguments for SplashMountain and my argument for making a fully animated, disconnected from Song of the South, Brer Rabbit movie, that'll never happen now thanks to this (link to the article in Argument 2 that I STILL REALLY think you should read). Still waiting on ANYONE to argue against EITHER of those arguments.
OK. Enough Splash Mountain talk. Talk about how it is now as Tiana's Bayou Adventure.
Actually, the first third of the ride is really cool and has a very similar vibe that Splash Mountain had. Splash Mountain after the small first drop, was basically getting acquanited with the Southern environment, and our protagonist, Brer Rabbit, all to How Do You Do. On Tiana's Bayou Adventure? After the small first drop, you get acquainted with the Southern environment, and our protagonist, Tiana (plus Louis), all to Gonna Take You There. Both have a very calm introduction aspect to appreciate the environment before the action starts, and both to two songs I both like. So far, I'm happy with the changes. =)
Unfortunately, the ride (story-wise) sh*ts the bed right when Mama Odie shows up and "makes you tiny" during the 2nd drop.
I know I HATED this portion watching the POV. And story wise, this is awful. Not only the pitch of "We need a missing ingredient" being stupid, but....using shrinking as your excuse for the drop? I just can't get over how horrible that is in writing terms! It doesn't even feel like being tiny. All this 2nd portion of the ride feels is is chilling to Dig a Little Deeper, except some idiot maxxed out the zoom on everything cause they don't know how to use a camera.
"Let's make you big again! Cause the bigger you are, the bigger the splash!"
I'm sorry, but I can NOT get over how STUPID this line is! This genuinely is AWFUL writing and HORRIBLE dialogue! If this was on any other ride, it would be a running joke where we say it mockingly, like "PONY EXPRESS IS THE BEST RIDE EVER!!!" for example. It would be a PERFECT example of becoming "so bad it's good". Except then you remember, this is not only Disney, but this is Disney's attempt at replacing one of their most iconic E-Ticket attractions (which was done on much shakier ground than they want to admit, as I've already argued in my past Splash Mtn Rant/Essay, as well as here), and then it just gets on my nerves!
Splash Mountain seems to KNOW that it's a log ride and KNOWS that you're approaching the big drop! And it ACTS ACCORDINGLY!!! Brer Fox captures Brer Brer Rabbit, it plays suspenseful music that ACTUALLY hyped you up (along with some vultures taunting you), before you are thrown into the briar patch (which BTW, actually works to simulate the big drop)!
Tiana's Bayou Adventure feels like deep down, it wants to be a Fantasyland Dark Ride, but is saddled with the log flume aspect, which it reluctantly follows. So when the time comes for the big drop on the actual ride portion, the Imagineers who designed Tiana's Bayou Adventure just came up with something so lazily and half-assed, it'd rival a high schooler giving some presentation they didn't plan for and just completely pulled out of their ass cause they forgot about it 2 minutes until it was presentation time! They don't even have hype music climbing the lift hill! They just keep playing Dig A Little Deeper!
Also, what's more threatening and condusive to a big drop? Brer Fox taunting you about throwing you into the Briar Patch after you beg please don't, or Mama Odie telling you that you're late to the party?
BTW, this is NOT me just blindly hating on Tiana's Bayou Adventure because it replaced Splash Mountain, and I'm pissed about it! They could've GENUINELY made an awesome Princess and the Frog log ride. And yeah. Just adding Dr. Facilier (best part of Princess and the Frog) ALONE would give this ride the anticipation and climax it SO DESPERATELY NEEDS!!! If Disney did THIS, I would be fully praising it. Sure, I still would be pissed that they got rid of Splash Mountain on such shakey ground with reasoning not nearly as good as they think, but would probably get over it and ignore it if THIS was its replacement as THIS would probably be as good as Splash Mtn. Besides, it's wouldn't have been the first time I complained about the reasoning a park gave for removing something, even if its replacement is genuinely better (Looking at you, Shamu Show and Orca Encounter at Sea World).
BTW, I pitched this EXACT idea of Dr. Facilier chanting "Are you ready!?" with his friends on the other side banging their drums in my Splash Mtn Rant/Essay as something they SHOULD do, but WEREN'T (I unfortunately, did NOT come up with the idea. I stole it from a coaster friend being optimistic about this ride on Facebook when it was first announced). I honestly feel so vindicated by my Rant/Essay as I was totally proven right about my skepticism and doubt about this ride.
BTW, I didn't even get my realistic wish when I hoped for some fun moments with Charlotte. She makes one cameo at the end, and that's it! Disney couldn't even f*cking give me THAT (though I at least got some Louis. Love him in the movie)! >=(
Another big selling point is they dropped a new custom song for the end of the ride, Special Spice. Eh, it's an OK song. Decent jazz song that's mildly catchy, and honestly, is more a generic "You're special" song than anything you'd expect to hear at a party. Just in case you're feeling depressed and need a self-esteem boost on the ride lol. But let's keep it real. Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah > Special Spice (I honestly just love the Splash Mountain Medly. So good musically. So glad I have the song on my phone).
Honestly, if you look at Tiana's Bayou Adventure, it really feels like something you'd see as an episode of a hypothetical Tiana preschool show that'd be similar to other preschoolshows based on popular animated Disney movies on Disney Jr. Seriously, the "plot" of this ride (Help find the missing ingredient for Tiana's party) could EASILY be an episode of a preschool Tiana show! Right down to Special Spice playing at the end to boost your childs self-esteem and promote that you're special!
Because it's clear that this ride wasn't designed by Imagineers who loved Princess and the Frog and wanted to honor the movie. It was cynically made for virtue signaling points. The ride was designed by the Stories Matter people (which BTW, was removed for the sake of vice signaling and appealing to the worst f*cking people on the planet because of our attrocious inexcusable actions in 2024. Because Disney is a soulless company who mindlessly blows in the cultural winds. Disney can go f*ck itself). They may be good at explaining why the racist moments in Dumbo, Peter Pan, Aristocats, etc are problematic and how to make better representation.
But it's crystal clear that THEY CAN'T WRITE A STORY FOR SH*T!!! Not only are they now looking for problems (apparently Dr. Facilier was a no-no because the voodoo is offensive? Come the f*ck on! Why even bother with a Princess and the Frog ride if half the movie is off limits!? Oh wait. I know why, and the answer is depressing and cynical as hell) and apparently, are so conflict averse that even having a plot would be too risky. Hence in the effort to appeal to the most people, wind up with something so inoffensive your preschooler could like it. >=(
At the end of the day, Tiana's Bayou Adventure is still a fun ride. Yeah. It's better than what I expected (but my expectations were literally on the ground. So congrats on clearing such a low bar), but not only is Splash Mountain MUCH better, but it's not even the best water ride in the Disneyland Resort anymore, or even the best log flume in California. Timber Mountain Log Ride > Tiana's Bayou Adventure. Though hey. It's at least better than Jet Stream lol (Yay! Positives)!
Well, at least this classic mountain is still standing. =)
NO!!! DON'T DO IT MR. GOAT!!! You have so much to live for! Look at all there is to look foreward to in this world! *opens a news page* You know what? Go ahead after all Mr. Goat. I don't blame you.
Holy Crap! I just realized this is our first coaster of the day!
Moving onto more Disney classics, we now are onto Pirates of the Carribean.
You know? When you consider what a pirates life was actuallylike, and compare it to everyone else's life back then, the classic song might actually be true.
Meh. Why not?
Is it stuck in your head yet? >=)
Hey Jesse. I don't think we're toys anymore. I think we're animatronics. Only not used for playing!
I know we were in Toontown earlier for Runaway Railway, but we couldn't bother skipping Cartoon Spin. Had to come back for that.
So they apparently changed Cartoon Spin to make Jessica Rabbit the protagonist since.....I guess they want to have more female representation and prove that Jessica Rabbit isn't just a sex symbol (same Stories Matter people). Meh. Unnecessary, but also harmless.
Still a really fun ride.
Hey look! Toontown still has a functioning post office! Probably because unlike our evil villian, theirs (Judge Doom) was defeated via the Dip. =P
You know, the line isn't nearly as bad as it usually is. Better wait it out.
Still impressive this ride is as good as it is solely from music and theming. =)
All time. Time to just relax on the Disneyland Railroad.
Riding through Tiana's Bayou Adventure on the Disneyland Railroad.
Hmm. There's something familiar about that bridge. Like we saw it before sometime.
Anyone seen Skipper Dan? I need some advice about my failed dreams and ending up in a crappy job, like Jungle Cruise tourguide.
*Sigh* We were gonna do Indiana Jones. Unfortunately, it broke down RIGHT when we were about to get in line. ='(
And because we're too broke to actually eat inside the park, we just decided to grab a cheap dinner at Applebees on the way home. Well, I had a great time at Disneyland. Mickey and Minnies Runaway Railway was better than I expected, Tiana's......was exactly what I expected, and I'm just happy that I also got on much of the classics today (Still bummed about missing Matterhorn and Indiana Jones). Thank you for the fun day, Jason's parents. Hope to return whenever Disneyland adds something new (and I'm not broke).
